


Vampire Hunter

by fhsa_archivist



Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-09-02
Updated: 2004-09-03
Packaged: 2019-02-05 18:04:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 76,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12799494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fhsa_archivist/pseuds/fhsa_archivist
Summary: : Buffy enters the world of Anita Blake after jumping off the tower at the end of season 5.





	1. Buffy Summers

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Haven, the archivist: This story was originally archived at [Fandom Haven Story Archive (FHSA)](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Fandom_Haven_Story_Archive), was scheduled to shut down at the end of 2016. To preserve the archive, I began working with the OTW to transfer the stories to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. If you are this creator and the work hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Fandom Haven Story Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/fhsa/profile).

~*~Chapter One~*~ 

 

It was November 1, the day after Halloween, the busiest day of the year, and I was beat. I had five zombie raisings and a emergency vampire execution. Don't worry, the execution was legal; a dying will. It's a provision that says if you die by vampire bite, someone like me can stake your heart and remove your head, making sure you don't rise as a vamp. 

 

My name is Anita Blake. I'm a licensed vampire executioner. You have to be licensed nowadays since vampires are considered people. I used to argue that notion, but since I'm dating the Master of the City of St. Louis it's kind of self defeating. 

 

I'm also an animator. I raise the dead for a living. Don't knock it, it's a specialized talent that people will pay big bucks for. Just ask my boss, Bert. He'd sell his first born for the right amount of money. Well, maybe not his first born, but you get my drift. 

 

My last client of the day walked into my office. She was, maybe, two inches taller than me, that would make her 5'5 and her body was tinnier than most elves I've seen. Well, I haven't really seen any elves, but I had a course in mythical creatures to finish off my preternatural biology degree. The course book had pictures. Kinda made me wonder if she had any fey blood down the genetic bloodline. 

 

She accepted my offer of coffee. The only clean mug I had, other than my own said 'Piss me of again and I'll piss in your coffee.' Bert hated my coffee mugs. I brought them in just to piss him off. I had my usual 'World's biggest hard-ass' mug. It was a gift from my other boyfriend. He is the Ulfric of the local werewolf pack. Yeah, my life is complicated. 

 

The client twitched here and there, enough to tell me she wasn't sure if she came to the right place to solve her problem. Bert had a habit of taking people's money and slipping them into my office, even if he knew that I couldn't help them. It was beginning to be a really annoying habit that I'll have to break him from. 

 

 

I looked down at the appointment book to get her name. "So how can I help you today Ms. Summers." 

 

She shifted a little, like she wasn't used to be called by her last name. 

 

"Please call me Buffy." 

 

I nodded. "Fine, Buffy. How can Animators Inc. help you today?" 

 

She pulled an arrant strand of her honey blonde hair behind her ear. "I'm not really sure you can, but everyone I talk to tells me you are the person to see for ... weird stuff." 

 

I raised my eyebrows. "Weird stuff?" I wasn't sure if I had been insulted or not. Always best to assume the worst, that way you can never be disappointed. I'm not a pessimist, just a realist. 

 

She saw my face. "That sounded bad, didn't it." 

 

"Buffy, why don't we just cut to the chase. What do you want?" 

 

Her hazel green eyes dropped to the floor and darted back up to meet mine. "I have to find my way back home." 

 

Okay, what's the joke? "Do you have a drivers license? It might have your address on it. Just flag down the nearest cab and ..." 

 

She interrupted me. "I know where I live ... " 

 

"Then what's the catch?" 

 

She looked straight at me and didn't bat an eye. "I live in a different universe." 

 

It's not often that you catch me off guard. After seeing the things that I have seen over the past few years, you will rarely find me slack-jawed. 

 

"A different universe?" 

 

She nodded. "I fell through a dimensional portal after I killed Glory ... uh ... Glorificas, the hell god, and poof I wind up on the outskirts of St. Louis. Only this isn't the St. Louis of my universe." 

 

I nodded. "Uh huh." 

 

Buffy's face turned sour. "And you don't believe a word I just said," she said matter-of-factly. 

 

I tried not to let it show too much. "And how did you wind up in my office?" 

 

She let the sour puss face drop. "The last person I talked to said you were a Slayer." 

 

"A Slayer?" 

 

"A vampire slayer." 

 

I got it. "Buffy, I am this state's legal vampire executioner. I slay vampires by court order." Which wasn't entirely true. I have a number of kills without court order, but the authorities tend to frown on that little fact. 

 

"See, that is what I'm talking about. Vampire's are treated like regular people here. In my universe they are just demons that it is my duty to kill." 

 

Ah, the plot thickens. 

 

"Ms. Summers, you might not want to say anything more about killing vampires in front of me without a lawyer present. It can be used against you in a court of law." 

 

Not that I would. Ninety-nine percent of the vampires I see, need slaying. 

 

"I knew it was a mistake to come here. I thought we might have something in common." 

 

Believe me when I tell you, I have seen a number of crackpots in my life and they all give off a certain vibe: wild eyes, nervous tics, evil sneers. Buffy Summers wasn't a crack pot, and I really didn't know what she was. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Well that was totally embarrassing, but at least it didn't cost me anything. Not that I had any money in the first place. I really didn't think I needed my checkbook when we took off to do battle with the hell bitch. 

 

I left the offices of Animators Inc. and headed in the first direction that the wind was blowing. I didn't have anywhere else to go. Sunnydale never existed in this universe, and there was no such thing as a Watchers Council. Believe me I looked. The local library was quite helpful with their internet connection. 

 

The worst part was knowing everyone thought I was dead. All of my friends and my sister probably thought I was either pushing up daisies or trapped in some sort of hell dimension. 

 

I had walked for the remainder of the day. A left turn here and a right turn there. I didn't have a clue where I was. That was until the sun went down and I saw the lights. I looked around at the number of bars and clubs that littered the street in front of me. One caught my eye above the rest, the 'Circus of the Damned.' 

 

Appropriate. Lord knows I've been damned to this weird universe. 

 

I heard my stomach rumbling it's protests of emptiness. Maybe I can get some guy to buy me dinner. I looked at the circus tent covering part of the building. Or some cotton candy at the least. 

 

Since it was still dusk, there wasn't a long line, and from the looks of things they weren't charging a cover tonight. Lucky me! 

 

I got a weird feeling when the bouncer, who was dressed up in a clown suit, waved me though. The hairs on the back of my neck came to attention. There were vampires near! 

 

I instinctively reached to my waist, where I normally keep Mr. Pointy tucked, only to find him not there. You didn't take him with you Buffy. He's at home in the top drawer of your dresser. 

 

For the small size of the line outside, it was awfully busy. The place wasn't pack by a long shot, but at least two-thirds of the tables were already taken around the center stage. 

 

I eased my way to the side where there was a small bar set up and sat myself down at the first available bar-seat. It wasn't a stool. Just a really tall seat. Comfy too! 

 

It wasn't long before a drink was set in front of me. I looked to the bartender. 

 

"From the guy at the end of the bar." 

 

I nodded and followed his pointy finger to the fishnet clad guy serving up a perfect smile. Fishnet? He moved around the bar toward my general direction, except he didn't move like anyone I had ever seen before. It was more liquid than anything else. He stalked to me like some sort of ... animal? 

 

He finally made it within inches of me. "I don't think I've seen you in here before." 

 

I eyed him down, following his fishnet shirt to his painted on leather pants to his Doc Martin boots. All midnight black. At least he's color coordinated. 

 

He held his hand out. "I'm Jason." 

 

"Buffy." I went to shake his hand and he did something I wasn't expecting. He raised my hand up to his nose and sniffed. Okaaay. 

 

Apparently he liked the way my hand smelled. "Your first time at the Circus?" 

 

I nodded. He smiled. I couldn't tell if he was sizing me up or undressing me with his eyes. 

 

"Vamp or Were groupie?" 

 

"Huh?" I replied. 

 

He smiled again. "Did you come to see the vampires or the were's?" 

 

Then it dawned on me. "This is a Vamp bar?" 

 

Of course I would wonder into the one bar where I would be surrounded by vampires. 

 

A slight laugh jutted forth from his lips. "You didn't know?" 

 

I jumped off of the chair. "I think I made a mistake." 

 

I didn't notice that he still hadn't let go of my hand and I pulled, but he still didn't let go. "You can't go yet! Let me buy you some dinner and we can watch the show." 

 

"Let go." I pulled even harder, putting some strength behind it. Something wasn't right. He shouldn't be this strong. 

 

"One drink." He pleaded. 

 

He tried pulling me back. That was enough. I used a little leverage against him and ducked under his arm into a squat and pulled with everything I had, tossing him across the room into the far wall. 

 

Everything in the room went quiet. I watched as he picked himself up off of the floor. I looked at the wall behind him and realized it was cinderblock of which was caved in from a close encounter with his body. Vampire. 

 

"I said let go." 

 

Taking a step backward I bumped into a chair. I picked it up and ripped a leg from the bottom. Prest-o change-o instant stake. I watched as he regained his feet and wiped off a trickle of blood from his mouth with the back of his hand. 

 

"Oh, I like you." He said just loud enough for me to hear. 

 

I was halfway across the floor when I was met by the clown slash doorman slash bouncer. He came swinging so I went spinning. A spin kick first, followed by roundhouse and a foot sweep. I was about to stake him when I was tackled by Jason. I didn't even see him coming, he was that fast. 

 

My makeshift stake went flying. The only weapon I had left was my cross and that was useless unless he would be polite enough let go of my arms long enough for me to shove it down his throat. 

 

I was lucky enough to get my feet under me and I launched him across the room again. The look in his eyes as he flew was almost worth him holding me down. I arched my back and hand-sprung to my feet. "Okay, who's next." 

 

A voice came from behind me. "That would be me, ma feu d'or." 

 

I spun around to find that the body connected to the voice was not much taller than I was, and was dressed in black silk cut low enough to show a cross shaped scar that marred an otherwise perfect chest, with ruffles at the end of his sleeves, and pants snug enough not to leave much to the imagination. Cuffed knee boots ended the ensemble. 

 

"Somebody misplace a musketeer?" 

 

He didn't return my sarcasm. That was a bad sign. 

 

"I do not think I have had the pleasure of an introduction." 

 

Well at least he is polite. 

 

"I'm Buffy and you are history." I don't think I've used that line here yet. 

 

I leaped at him and suddenly he wasn't there, but five feet to the left. 

 

Oh no, not another one. "Let me guess, you're related to Dracula." 

 

He shook his head ever so slightly in the negative. "Non, I'm afraid I do not have that distinction." 

 

I watched as his eyes flickered toward the door for a split second. I had to chance that there was someone about to jump me from behind and I moved to the right, away from the 'fourth' musketeer and spun around. Imagine my surprise ... 

 

"Ms. Summers, what are you doing here?" 

 

The chick from Animators Inc. stood at the doorway, Anita I think her name was. 

 

The Musketeer moved closer to her. "A friend of yours ma petite?" 

 

"A client ... sort of." 

 

I still held my defensive stance. "You know this vamp?" 

 

"This vamp is my boyfriend, Ms. Summers. I would take it personally if you tried anything ... unpleasant." 

 

"Well, I didn't start it. I was being pawed by one of his pet vamps.". 

 

"Who?" He whispered through gritted teeth. 

 

He followed my eyes to the blonde. 

 

The Musketeer turned his head and glared at the blonde who seemed to get a case of the ebie-geebies all of the sudden. 

 

"My apologies, Jason will be dealt with for accosting you. Jason." 

 

The blonde inched forward, looking almost like a whipped puppy. 

 

"Yes Jean Claude." 

 

"I believe you owe Ms. Summers an apology." Then he turned to me. "Unless you would like to press formal charges." 

 

Since I was new to the area and I didn't have any identification, I would probably wind up answering questions that I really didn't want. 

 

"No." 

 

Jason looked visibly relieved. I had a hunch that local law enforcement didn't think too highly of the monsters pawing tourists. 

 

Ms. Blake seemed to relax somewhat, also. She laid her hand on the vamp's shoulder. 

 

"Perhaps, Ms. Summers would like some dinner." 

 

The vamp nodded. "Oui. If you would be so kind as to escort our guest to the office, ma petite, we could make amends. I will see to the refreshments." 

 

~*~ 

 

I wasn't too happy playing the butler, but since Jean-Claude was flipping for the food I was resigned to acting the little woman. 

 

Ms. Summers was still very tense, but eased a bit when the offer of food was put on the table. I had a feeling she hadn't eaten in a while. Her eyes went behind me appraising the threat of my companions. Since Micah and I joined our pards I had two new shadows that followed me around wherever I went, bodyguards. 

 

It was annoying as hell, but a necessity that I learned to live with. Being Nimir-Ra of the Blooddrinkers Clan, carried with it certain responsibilities and well as certain pains in my ass. 

 

Micah, Jean-Claude, and most of my pard insisted that I have bodyguards, which of course made me not want them all the more. But in the end I relented. It's always better to have too much ammunition than being in a situation where you don't have enough. The bodyguards were my extra ammo. 

 

Micah was my Nimir-Raj, my wereleopard mate and official leader of the pard now that we were joined, but anyone that believes he tells me what to do needs a serious attitude adjustment. Being the official leader meant the he interviewed my potential bodyguards. 

 

It was tradition to interview from out of town pards, because the role of a bodyguard is to take a bullet for you and you didn't want them having emotional attachments to any of the other pard members so as not to monopolize their attention. I wasn't too fond of this train of thought. If their action in saving me cause any of my cats to be harmed of killed I would be one pissed off person. 

 

Anyway, Ms. Summers was eyeing Logan and Jonathan. They were nothing if not imposing. Each of them stood well over six feet tall and were quite muscle-bound. I had insisted that whoever was going to be hanging around me was going to be well armed and well trained in those arms. I'm sure the budges in their coats screamed heavy artillery. 

 

"Logan and Jonathan are with me, Ms. Summers. As well as Nathaniel." 

 

Nathaniel stepped out from in back of Logan and smiled softly. Her eyes lit up in surprise at Nathaniel. He had that effect on a lot of woman. I think it's because of his auburn hair. He wore it in a braid that passed well beyond his waistline, and his violet eyes shimmered seduction. 

 

"Are his eyes purple?" 

 

"You've never met a wereleopard, Ms. Summers?" I asked. 

 

Her eyes flicked back to me. "Leopard?" 

 

At last her situation and her story became believable. "You really are a stranger here." 

 

The energy that held her for the last several minutes finally seemed to release from her body and she was defeated and lost. 

 

 

~*~Chapter Two~*~ 

 

"So, any questions?" Anita sat on the black leather couch while her vamp boyfriend paced the floor from wall to wall. Twiddle-Dee and Twiddle-Dum stood like bookends on either side of the office door with their serious look showing. 

 

"Jean-Claude?" 

 

The vamp stopped pacing and looked at Anita. "I must confess, ma petite, that I have never heard of a story such as this." 

 

"Me either." Anita shifted in the couch. "And you say that you are a Slayer." 

 

I nodded. "Chosen by the powers that be to fight the dark forces, yadda, yadda, yadda." 

 

"An exactly who are these powers that be?" She asked. 

 

"I don't know, God, gods, your aunt Petunia. Who knows?" 

 

The vamp turned to me and stared. It wasn't an intense stare ... more like an under the microscope type. 

 

"Would you mine not doing that, you're giving me the wiggins." 

 

A soft laugh slid past his lips. Something brushed down my spine like warm silk, causing me to shiver, but in a good way. I pushed my chair back and stood easing away from the vamp. 

 

"What the heck was that.?" 

 

The vamp closed slowly. "I assure you, ma feu d'or, I did not mean to give you ... a wiggins." 

 

"No mind games Jean-Claude." Anita ordered. 

 

He softly laughed again. "Our little Slayer here is beyond mind games, ma petite, she met my eyes earlier and was beyond me." 

 

I felt like I was just left out of an inside joke. "Mind games?" 

 

"Ms. Summers, the vampire's in this universe are able to capture a normal human's mind with their eyes." Anita informed me. 

 

I was suddenly on edge. "And you let this happen?" 

 

"There is a limit as to how far and under what situations they can do this. There are laws to keep them in check." 

 

"Vamps don't obey laws, Ms. Blake." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

How well I know, Ms. Summers. "It is a mandatory death sentence to do so without the victim's consent. But you seem to have a natural immunity to their mind tricks." 

 

The blonde girl smirked. "I'm the Slayer." 

 

I questioned how far that protection goes. "And is this a magical ability or natural?" 

 

"Why?" 

 

She seemed to know a lot about the supernatural and if she was going to be in this universe for any length of time she'll have to know how to protect herself. 

 

"If it were a magical ability, there might be a way to dampen your powers, if it were natural, then it would be much harder." 

 

She seem to ponder this for a minute. "Natural." 

 

"Are you sure?" I asked. 

 

"I've been under two vamps powers before: the Master and Dracula." I almost laughed at the mention of Vlad the Impaler. He was kind of a joke in the vampire community. Maybe he was tougher in her world. "As I age I grow stronger." 

 

The vamp smiled. "Indeed. You have faced down master vampires then?" 

 

"A vamp is a vamp" 

 

That kind of thinking will get her killed. "Not in this world, Ms, Summers." 

 

She stared at me to continue. 

 

"There are various levels of power in every supernatural creature. Age attributes to their power, but doesn't define it. Some vampires will live for a thousand years and not be a master. While others can reach their potential after only a hundred." 

 

"So how strong is D'Artagan here." 

 

It was my turn to laugh. Jean-Claude didn't seem to appreciate the joke. "Jean-Claude is Master of the City." 

 

She didn't seem to be impressed. "Master of the City is a title that is second only to the vampire council." 

 

She still didn't seem to be impressed. 

 

The office phone rang and Jean-Claude answered. I continued my conversation with Ms. Summers. "He is the most powerful vampire in the area, Ms. Summers. All of the area vampires answer to him." 

 

Buffy nodded. "So he's got his soul?" 

 

I blinked. It was much debated whether or not a vampire actually has a soul. The church says no way José, but in my experience I would err on the side of yep. Sure their soul takes off once the sun rises but it comes back later, when they waken. My own necromantic powers attest to that. 

 

I once rose several vampires from their coffins and had to wrestle a soul back into it's owner so that he could continue to ... live. Now he's my vampire servant, Damian. Don't tell the council about that. If they even thought that I might have that kind of power, I would be a piece of toast. There was once a time that vampires killed necromancers on site. 

 

"Of course." 

 

She shifted. "The vamps in my world don't have souls. They are just human bodies inhabited by demons. Unless they get cursed with a soul." 

 

Her eyes drifted. Something about that revelation didn't set well. 

 

"Is something wrong, Ms. Summers?" 

 

She shook her head. "So do you think you might be able to help me, Ms. Blake?" 

 

"Please call me Anita. It seems as if you are going to need all the friends you can get." 

 

She nodded again. 

 

"I'll need to contact a friend of mine. She specializes in magic. I don't know if she can help, but we'll see." 

 

I knew I was going to regret asking her but ... "Do you have a place to stay, Buffy?" 

 

Her face reddened slightly. "I slept in an alley last night, hence the rumpled clothes." 

 

"Then you'll stay at my place until we find out what to do. You don't mind cats do you?" 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Anita slid her key in lock of her front door and pushed the door ajar. "Hold on just a sec." 

 

I nodded. 

 

She stuck her head in and yelled. "We have company. Everybody decent?" 

 

I heard a voice in the background. "I'm more than decent, Anita. If you'd just let me show you once in a while. But we're all clothed if that's what you mean." 

 

She opened the door the rest of the way and we entered. I really wasn't prepared for the amount of people that were lounging around her living room. By a quick count, four was the magic number. 

 

"These are Cherry, Merle, Zane, and Gregory. Guys this is Buffy Summers. Play nice. Don't you guys have jobs or something?" 

 

They all rose from the couch and floor where they were ... cuddling? 

 

The one she pointed out as Zane spoke first. "We were taking a break. Micah has had us hauling lumber for the last five hours." 

 

The sight of the four of them screamed sex. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. The older one, Merle I think his name was, closed in on me, carefully moving like a predator. 

 

"She smells of power, Anita." 

 

I looked down at my clothes and sniffed. "Hello, rude much? I haven't had a shower in two days." 

 

The younger one with the spiked blonde hair reminded me a bit too much of a certain chipped vampire. 

 

"Smells tasty to me." 

 

Anita held her hand out. "Just a sniff only, Zane and if you go anywhere near her crotch I'm sure Buffy will hand you your head." 

 

She turned around. "Buffy these are my wereleopards. They'll want to get your scent, but they wont molest you ... will you Zane." 

 

He held his hands aloft. "I'll be the perfect gentleman." 

 

Okay, this is creepy. They circled me in liquid movement. I'd say catlike, but that would be redundant. One of them bumped me from behind like a cat marking his territory. 

 

"Smells like ... " 

 

Merle smacked Zane on the top of his head. "Anita said to behave yourself." 

 

I turned quickly his head was at crotch level. I grabbed the spikes of his hair and lifted. "What is it with you Billy Idol types." 

 

He smiled and showed me his fangs, upper and lower, like some great cat. I'm guessing a leopard. Hey, I'm pretty quick when I need to be. 

 

"What are you?" The female of the bunch chimed in. "You smell of power and death." 

 

"I'm the Slayer. I can't speak to the power part, but I've been dead twice now." 

 

Cherry's eyebrows lifted. "Dead? Than how are you standing here?" 

 

I shrugged. "Didn't take." 

 

 

~*~Chapter Three~*~ 

 

Anita came back out of the kitchen holding a steaming cup of coffee. "Buffy if you want to take a shower, the bathroom is down the hall. Cherry can get lend you some clothes until we have a chance to get you some of your own." 

 

I looked at Cherry's clothes. "Not that I'm not grateful, but we don't have the same style." 

 

Cherry looked down at her fishnet blouse and lace bra underneath and laughed. "I have something else that you might wear." 

 

The shower was a godsend. I finally had a chance to wash Glory out of my hair. I let the warm spray cleanse the last 48 hours away and invigorate me for the evening. After about twenty minutes I turned off the water and started toweling off. That's when I heard it ... a scream. I tucked the towel in tight and made a dash out of the bathroom. 

 

I followed the sound of the screaming to a closed door and tried the knob. It was locked, but that didn't hold me for long. I reared back and slammed my foot against the door by the knob. The door flew back hard enough to break one of the hinges. 

 

I should probably just blind myself and get it over with. Anita and a person I haven't met before were doing ... well ... it. It was like a train wreck, I just couldn't turn away. The weird part was, certain things in my body were going low and tight. I soo shouldn't be standing here watching Anita and someone not her vamp boyfriend going at it. 

 

I felt a hand on my shoulder pulling me out of the room. I almost resisted, but gave way finally. Once we were out of the room and back in the bathroom, Cherry closed the door and the spell was broken. 

 

My hand flew to my face at what I just did. 

 

"Oh my God!" 

 

Cherry was just smiling. "Strong, wasn't it?" 

 

"What was that ... I ... I wanted to ..." 

 

"It was the ardeur." She saw I was confused. "Anita shares Jean-Claude's succubus. It's a sexual energy that must be sated. Those of us that are sensitive to it's effects are drawn to participate. It is very powerful energy." 

 

"And the guy ..." 

 

"That was Micah. He is our Nimir-Raj. Anita is our Nimir-Ra. Leaders of our pard." 

 

Huh? "Huh?" 

 

A pard is our family of wereleopards. 

 

"Oh." I almost got it. "So you're all related and Anita is your mom?" 

 

Cherry laughed. "No Anita is not a wereleopard, but she is Nimir-Ra. She is the most dominant of us and Micah is her mate." 

 

Now I'm confused. "I thought Jean-Claude ..." 

 

"She is Jean-Claude's human servant and a third of their triumvirate." 

 

Huh? "Huh?" 

 

Cherry laughed again. Get dressed and I'll explain it all to you over some coffee. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

I really hate it when the ardeur hits me so late in the day. Not that I mind too much, but it's distracting when you have guests and they bust down the door and see you on all fours being taken from behind by a lusty, very gifted wereleopard. 

 

I was still uneasy about giving myself up so easily to Micah. I'd barely known him a day and had jumped in the sack with him twice. But our beasts had drawn us together and tossed out any sense I had to the wind. 

 

My beast is my inner-leopard. My animal to call. I'd thought, just last month, that I was going to turn furry after Gregory accidentally slid his claws inside of me. He did it to save my life, protecting me from getting my heart ripped out by a snake man. 

 

I'd displayed all of the secondary attributes of a wereleopard: increased healing, speed, agility, and most of all the presence of my beast. But when the full moon came, I didn't change. 

 

"Who was that?" Micah's voice rumbled across my back. 

 

"Buffy Summers." 

 

"Okay." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Gregory stalked the kitchen table where Cherry and I sat sipping our coffee. I couldn't get over the guys in this world. Their hair was amazing. Gregory's honey blonde hair hung loose to his waist and I just stared at it as he sat on a bar stool looking at me. 

 

Needless to say I have to get over my self-consciousness in this world unless I want to be wearing a permanent blush. Everything seemed to focus around sex with these people. It was really weird. 

 

Cherry snapped her fingers in the air. "Earth to Buffy. I know Gregory is every girl's idea of eye candy. If you two want to be alone... " 

 

Gregory smiled. My face and ears got hot. 

 

"Richard ... you were telling me about Richard." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

After checking the Browning's clip I slid it back in and holstered the weapon. The Firestar went in the crossdraw front pant's holster. I pulled the black wool coat over my shoulders and I was ready to go. No knives tonight. Nobody had tried to kill me in over a month. I was actually starting to feel normal again. Don't curse yourself Anita. 

 

"Full schedule tonight?" Micah asked. 

 

I turned from the mirror. "Yeah, don't wait up." 

 

"Never do." 

 

Damn it. Why does he have to be so perfect. He expects me to take care of myself. I can't even tell if he's worried, half the time. I keep trying to find flaws in his character or in the way he treats me, but he won't let me. He's not Richard. He trusts that if I need help that I'll ask. 

 

"The new addition will be through by the weekend. Then maybe we can get a little privacy." He teased. 

 

Micah owns his own construction company. He has a competent management staff that pretty much keep things running smoothly and he just reaps the rewards. It was his idea to build on an additional few rooms to the house for the pard and our occasional shape shifter coalition meetings of which I was still the chair. No matter how hard I try, nobody wants the position. 

 

The additional rooms would be a godsend. It gets crowded in the living room. Anything to stop my house from getting ripped to shreds in angry brawls. It was costing a fortune in cleaning and repair bills. Not to mention I would actually have my bathroom all to myself again. Well, me and Micah ... and Nathaniel. I have way too many men in my life. 

 

I kissed him lightly on the lips and left him to his shower. Sex with a lycanthrope is quite messy. I felt the tug on my lips to say I love you, but we still were not to that stage in our relationship. It just felt wrong to be having sex with someone for over a month and not tell them how you feel. Although, when I closed the door I could have sworn that I heard those soft words from the other side. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

"Ready to hit the road, Buffy." Anita voiced as she entered the kitchen. "Okay, who drank all of the coffee." 

 

I hid my cup under the table as quick as I could while Cherry jumped up from her chair. 

 

"I'll make another pot." 

 

 

Anita shooed her away. "I'll just stop by FourBucks near the cemetery." 

 

"FourBucks?" I mouthed silently to Gregory. 

 

He stepped off of his stool and whispered back. "Starbucks. Anita hates to spend four bucks on a coffee." 

 

"I heard that, Gregory." 

 

The back door opened and Merle stepped in. "Anita, don't forget, there is a shape shifter coalition meeting tomorrow night." 

 

Her face darkened a bit. "Great." 

 

She blew out a small stream of air. "Buffy is going with me tonight. We'll be late. Don't wait up." 

 

I got to see my first zombie raising. Can you say ewww. 

 

Anita was rinsing the chicken blood off of her hands when her beeper went off. She checked the number. 

 

We walked across the street from the cemetery to the Starbucks. I got to buy the coffee while she returned the page. Anita wore a sour face when she returned. 

 

"Pack business. Someone killed a werewolf tonight. You up for a murder scene?" 

 

We drove to the outskirts of town while Anita gave me the lowdown on the local werewolf clan. 

 

"I'm the Bolverk for the pack. It's an enforcer type job. Just stay by me and don't let any of the changed wolves bite or scratch you. Wolf lycanthropy is very contagious through blood." She warned. 

 

"I thought Cherry said that shape shifters can control when they change." 

 

She nodded. "For the most part the Alpha's can, but when there is blood or violence in the air it's harder. The lesser wolves might lose control. Just be careful." 

 

"Do I get to meet Richard?" 

 

Her head snapped around. "Who told you about Richard." 

 

Oops. "Uh ... was that privileged info?" 

 

Anita's face softened a bit. "Almost everything that you have been told is privileged information. Lycanthropy is a virus. It's against the law to fire someone from their job that catches it, but it happens. That's how Cherry lost her job. She was a nurse until someone found out. Some of the people you'll be meeting tonight are not out of the furry closet. Keep it all under your hat, okay" 

 

I made the key locking gesture to my lips and tossed it out the window. 

 

"We're here. I have an extra knife in the glove compartment. Strap it to your wrist." 

 

I shook my head. "I really don't need ..." 

 

"Please, for my peace of mind." 

 

I popped open the glove box and found the knife in it's sheath. By the time I had it on my left wrist I saw a figure exit the tree line. He was tall and wow. He had curly brown hair that fell to his shoulders and he wasn't wearing a shirt. Hs wide chest spoke volumes of muscles. Did I say wow? 

 

"Woof." I commented. 

 

"More than you know, Buffy. More than you know." 

 

 

~*~Part Four~*~ 

 

The chest with the muscles and curly brown hair stood at the front of the jeep. I tried to listen to what he was telling Anita, but all I could pick up on were a few words. She waved me on and I stepped out of the jeep. I checked out the tree line and picked up more than a few sets of eyes. My slayer senses were going into overdrive. We were so being watched it wasn't funny. 

 

"Buffy Summers, this is Richard, Ulfric of the Thronnos Rokke Clan." 

 

He held out his hand and I took it. I don't know how to explain this, but when he touched my hand I felt a warm tingly sensation flowing over my skin and up my arm. A small gasp escaped from my mouth. It wasn't a bad feeling ... far from that. 

 

I looked into his chocolate colored eyes and knew he felt it too. 

 

"Please to meet you Ms. Summers. Though I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances." 

 

I smiled. "I ... uh ... Buffy." 

 

Smooth Buffy. Why don't you show him how you can count to ten, also. Then maybe later, if the mood is right you can jump right into chewing gum and walking at the same time. That should impress him. Somebody shoot me! 

 

Anita stifled a snicker. "Turn down the charm, Richard. I don't think she's met a werewolf before; much less an Ulfric." 

 

I shook my head. "Willow, my friend. She dated a werewolf. But he got all grrr on her and had to go to Tibet and find himself or something and I'll cut myself off here before I really start rambling." 

 

I wondered if he noticed that he hasn't let go of my hand. I've noticed, but I'm not saying a thing. The warm feeling never stopped and reached across my chest making things tingle when they shouldn't be tingling. What the heck is happening to me. I haven't felt this way since ... 

 

"Richard ... Buffy ... dead body?" 

 

That snapped Richard from his small daze as well, and he snatched his hand back, breaking the spell. Damn. 

 

"This way, Anita." 

 

I hadn't noticed 'till now that we were being tailed by Frick and Frack, Anita's bodyguards. Where the heck have they been? 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Buffy noticed it too. But I guess Logan and Jonathan have to make their selves known amongst the wolves. I like for them to keep out of sight if at all possible. Sometimes even I don't know where they are. I got a lot of argument from them about that, but it just wouldn't look right having a couple of muscle-bound guys always following me to raisings and crime scenes. Too many questions. In the end they relented. The only question I have is how do they follow me without transportation. 

 

Richard led us to the scene. I almost wish he hadn't. I have seen a lot of really gory stuff over the last few years. The bad part was that I was getting used to it. Nobody should get used to seeing someone they know from the inside. 

 

Dale was just one of the wolves; not alpha, not aspiring to be anything but a metro librarian. Now he's just dead. Ripped apart dead. From the marks I could tell it was definitely a shape shifter. But without something else to go on, all I could tell was that it was a predatory animal. 

 

I looked up from the body and found Richard looming. "No witnesses?" 

 

He shook his head. 

 

I heard a twig snap and saw Buffy was turning a bit green. 

 

"I take it you don't want the police involved." 

 

He grimaced. "It's pack business, Anita, and you are Bolverk." 

 

That didn't sit well with me. "I know my job. And being Bolverk doesn't mean investigator. It just means I punish the people that need punishing." 

 

Buffy inched away from the scene. "Buffy, don't go far away from me. I can't protect you out there with a bunch of pissed off wolves." 

 

Richard turned. "They won't harm her, Anita." 

 

My eyebrows went up. "One of their own is sliced up, blood is thickening in the ground, it's only a week away from the full moon. Can you think of any reason that they wouldn't eat her?" 

 

Buffy interrupted. "I can take care of myself." 

 

I lifted my head in the air and sniffed. One of the tricks I have now is akin to shape shifters. I can almost smell everyone of the wolves out there. "Can you fight over twenty werewolves, Ms. Summers?" 

 

Buffy's eyes widened a bit as well as Richard's. I'm betting he didn't know that I could do that little trick. 

 

"I don't need to. I just find whoever is most dominant and kick his butt. The rest will fall in." 

 

Richard smiled. 

 

"Richard, do something before someone jumps the gun with her." 

 

He looked back at me. I could feel his anger flare up. "You are not my girlfriend anymore, Anita." 

 

"And who's fault is that?" I returned. 

 

He frowned. "Yours, mine, the whole world's." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Dibbs! 

 

The smell wasn't pleasant. that's why I was backing off. I've seen a lot of dead bodies worse off than that one. I just wanted to get upwind of the odor. But that brought me into the shadows of the trees, and near to something else. 

 

"Hey good looking." 

 

I almost jumped out of my skin. I spun around and found the blonde werewolf from earlier, Jason. 

 

"Oh, it's just you." 

 

He looked genuinely hurt. "Ouch, you really know how to lift a guy's ego." 

 

I rolled my eyes. "Don't you have somebody's leg to hump or something?" 

 

He leaned up against the tree trying to look nonchalant and sexy at the same time. "If you're offering." 

 

I pressed my hand against his chest, holding him off. "Down Rin Tin Tin. My dance card's full." 

 

My eyes unconsciously shifted to Richard. 

 

Jason huffed. "What is it about that guy?" 

 

"It's the hair ... the chest ... the eyes ..." 

 

Jason looked around quickly. "I wouldn't say that out loud. He's auditioning for lupa and some of them are out here tonight." 

 

"Lupa? What's tha..." 

 

I didn't get to finish the sentence before I was jumped and knocked across the clearing. Ouch. 

 

"I challenge you." Came a female voice from the shadows. 

 

Richard took two steps and held up his hand. "Stop!" 

 

Anita was at my back helping me up. Now that was embarrassing. The female came out from the shadows. "Ulfric, it is within my rights to challenge, she made her intent known to Jason." 

 

All eyes were on mine in the next instant. "Great, it's share time." 

 

Richard cracked a smile. I have a feeling he knows that I'm getting a little thing for him , and little miss priss isn't helping matters. 

 

He tried calming the girl down. "Sonja, she is not were. She doesn't know our ways." 

 

"She wants you Richard. I can smell her desire." 

 

 

Huh? 

 

 

Anita whispered into my ear. "Be careful, she is within her rights and I can't protect you from a direct challenge." 

 

Great. 

 

I took a defensive stance. Richard looked at me "You don't have to do this, Buffy. Just declare to everyone that you are not interested in me and she will have to let it drop. 

 

There's the thing. I am interested. I've only known the guy for fifteen minutes and I about to get in a fight for the right to date him. Can my life be any more weird? But I have to play it off as something else. 

 

"Nobody blindsides me, Richard. I have to kick her ass. It's just a pride kinda thing." 

 

Anita smirked, Jason grinned , and Richard's face stayed solid. I couldn't tell if he bought it or not. 

 

Sonja didn't. "Liar! How could you not want our Ulfric!" 

 

Richard rolled his eyes and nodded. "Who ever takes first blood wins. Sonja, no shifting. Buffy, knife only." 

 

I looked down at the knife and took it off. 

 

"The day I need a knife for just one werewolf is the day I hang up my..." 

 

UUUff. Sonja jumped the gun and tackled me to the ground. I curled into a ball and drove my feet out, tossing her across the clearing. She came at me again and I somersaulted over her head, back-kicking her into the stout looking tree behind me. 

 

I took the three seconds that she took to recover and scouted the area. She didn't try to tackle me this time. She looked me up and down, trying to figure out what I was. A normal human wouldn't be able to bounce her off of a tree like that. 

 

"Ready to give up?" I offered. 

 

"I want to see you bleed." She returned. 

 

I saw the look in her eyes and totally believed her. I turned and ran. Oh, don't get me wrong. I wasn't running away; just luring her into a better position. But I didn't have to tell her that. 

 

I had spotted two trees standing beside each other and sprinted to them. My leap brought me about five and a half feet in the air so I could plant my right foot on the furthest tree, push off and left foot it to the second tree which brought me 180 degrees around and level with Sonja's face. Or I should say my right foot was level with Sonja's face. 

 

It connected hard enough for an audible snap of bone. Before I was halfway down I saw teeth fly from her mouth ... along with a little blood. 

 

"Game over, you lose. Come again, and don't forget to tip your waiter." 

 

Jason was clapping. Richard and Anita were wide-eyed. The other twenty or so werewolves surrounding the area were nervous. I could play this two ways. Be all shy and cute Buffy or ... 

 

I let a loose strand of hair fall across my left eye and started walking toward the jeep. When I neared Richard I breathed a little more than I needed into my voice. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow night. You'll bring the wine. I'll bring the dessert." 

 

By the time I finished I was past him and I could have sworn I heard several audible gulps in the area. 

 

Oh yeah. Say good by to shy and reserved Buffy. I think I'm gonna like St. Louis after all. 

 

 

~*~Part Five~*~ 

"I have way too many women in my life." Richard declared. 

 

I laughed. "Welcome to my world." 

 

He sighed. "Who is she, Anita?" 

 

I don't know if I was happy or sad that Richard seems interested in someone other than me. I mean I have no room to talk. I've got at least three men on a leash and Richard has been on again off again for the last couple of years. Not to mention my newly acquired vampire servant. I am not having sex with Damian. 

 

It makes me jealous as hell to think that Richard would leave me for another woman, and I am bigger than that. Buffy seems to be a good person and she's all alone in this new world. Should I just let it go or hang on for even more torment down the road? 

 

"She might not be here for long, Richard." 

 

"Too bad." 

 

Okay, that just pissed me off. He's playing it off on me; trying to make me jealous. 

 

"I think she has the clap." I know ... that wasn't nice. 

 

He smiled. "I'm a werewolf, Anita. I'm immune." 

 

Dammit. 

 

How does he keep doing this to me. One minute we're fine the next, we're at each other's throats. I know he is just playing around with my mind. I had to let him know it wasn't getting to me. 

 

"So I guess Silvie won't be taking your place at the shape shifters coalition meeting tomorrow?" 

 

"A '93 Chianti okay?" 

 

I smoldered. "Better make it two bottles, Richard. She'll need to be really drunk to put up with your bullshit." 

 

And I was off. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

I watched as Anita stormed off and headed to the jeep. Oops. She slammed the door when she got in and gripped the steering wheel tightly. 

 

"Anita, listen. If you want me to back off ..." 

 

She held her hand up. "It's not you, Buffy. It's Richard. We had a bad break-up. Our tempers can get in our way sometimes." 

 

I had to lighten up the mood. "So does he always walk around without a shirt, or is this something special." 

 

She laughed and the tension level dropped about forty points. "Richard being shirtless is one of his better qualities. It only happens at night. During the day he's a mild mannered junior high school teacher." 

 

No way. "Awww, that is so cute." 

 

She got a resolved look on her face. "Buffy, if you're serious about going back to your world I'm going to ask you to be straight up with Richard. I still love him and I don't want to see him hurt any more than I have hurt him." 

 

That sobered me up. 

 

Anita took me on a couple more zombie raisings then we went back to her house and settled in for the night. I got the couch. I couldn't complain. It was better than the alley, last night. 

 

The only strange thing about the way I slept that night was that I didn't dream, or if I did I didn't remember. Something I did remember was being woken up. Zane's face was only inches from my own. If I didn't know better I'd think he was about to lick me. I can't even begin to get into the shear amount of eewww that represented. 

 

"Coffee's ready. You want some breakfast?" 

 

He backed away when he saw the look on my face. 

 

"What time is it?" I grumbled. 

 

"Ten a.m. rise and shine." 

 

He was way too chipper. I looked down at his sleepwear, or more to the point lack of sleepwear. The only thing he was wearing was a pair of silk boxers with slits cut on the side ... all the way up. It didn't leave anything to the imagination. In fact the thin silk seemed to define things a bit too clearly. 

 

Anita crossed the living room holding two cups of coffee one of which she offered to me. 

 

"Zane, get dressed. I'm sure Buffy doesn't need to see your morning salute to the world." 

 

I sat up, pulled the blanket around me and thanked her for the coffee. 

 

"I just got off the phone with Marianne." 

 

I sipped the liquid and relaxed, giving Anita the questioning look. 

 

"She's the Wicca friend I was telling you about." 

 

I looked at the resignation in her shoulders. "And the bad news is?" 

 

"She said barring divine intervention you probably aren't going home." She paused. "I'm sorry, Buffy." 

 

I was expecting that answer. If Glory, a hell god, couldn't get home without Dawn, then my chances were practically nil. 

 

"She said she would give it further study, but not to get your hopes up." 

 

I nodded. I knew this was going to happen and I have tried to prepare myself for just this moment. No matter how much you try, you can't really prepare yourself for something like this. 

 

I felt my face burning and the tears well up in my eyes. 

 

"Buffy, I'm not very good with something like this. Why don't you spend a little time with Cherry and Nathaniel this morning. It always works for me." 

 

She patted my knee and left the room. Cherry was waiting by the kitchen for Anita to leave then came and sat beside me. She took the mug from my hand and set it on the coffee table. Then she let me cry it out for thirty minutes or so. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

I received a page after I got out of the shower. It was Dolph, the head of RPIT, the Regional Preternatural Investigation Taskforce. If there is a case that involves the monsters it's passed on to RPIT. Dolph only calls me in when something truly nasty comes up. 

 

The phone only rang once when Dolph picked it up. "What took you so long?" 

 

He always has to give me a little grief ever since he found out I was dating the Master of the City. It was a sore subject for him since his son was involved with a vampire. It meant there was no chance for grandkids. Sucks to be him. 

 

"Dolph, it's been all of two minutes since you beeped me. What do you have?" 

 

"We've got two dead shifters, dropped off in front of the station late last night." 

 

That got my attention. 

 

"Did anyone ... " 

 

"No." 

 

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." 

 

Click. Dolph was never one for goodbyes. 

 

Nathaniel was still recovering from our morning bite session. Micah was in the shower. I couldn't feed the ardeur from the same person every day. In case you are wondering, it is possible to die by sex. Nathaniel is my pomme de sang, or loosely translated, 'apple of my blood' or something like that. It means he's Micah's tag-team partner in my bed when the ardeur rears it's ugly head. 

 

"I want you to take Buffy out shopping today. Take my credit card and get her whatever she wants. Make sure she has at least two business suits, some evening wear, and a few things to lounge in, plus whatever extras she needs." 

 

Nathaniel looked surprised. 

 

"She's going to pay me back. It's just a loan ... don't get any ideas." 

 

After checking the Browning and the Firestar I strapped on my wrist sheaths and put on my jacket. I had to be Ms. practicality. I entered the living room and sat on the chair adjacent to the couch. It looked like Cherry had done her job well enough. Buffy just need a little direction and she would be fine. 

 

"I gave Nathaniel my card. I want you three to go out and pick up some necessities. Buffy, I know you have some decisions to make over the next couple of days, and I have an idea on what direction that might take. 

 

"I want you to think about becoming a vampire executioner. It seemed to be your line of work, sorta, and the pay is very good. There aren't a lot of us in the U.S. and there is always room for more. But not a lot of people can stomach the job." 

 

She just sat there and stared at me. 

 

"You get paid for dusting vamps?" 

 

Money makes the world go 'round. "Big time. Of course you'll have to go through training and observation under a certified executioner before you are on your own, but I think this might be a way to take advantage of your gifts and ease into our world." 

 

By the end of my lecture she agreed to give it a shot. 

 

I just hope I won't regret it later. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Before she died, whenever I was down, Mom used to take me shopping. When Cherry and Nathaniel took me out to the mall the old feeling came back and I was semi-back to normal, or at least as normal as my life has been for the last five years. 

 

When Mom died, Dawn and I had been hit with just about every medical bill and funeral bill imaginable. Mom's life insurance took care of that, but left little to survive on afterwards. I guess my life insurance should take care of anything she might need for the next few years. I made sure of that. 

 

Needless to say I haven't been on a shopping spree for clothes in quite a long time. I did notice that fashion between our two worlds is a bit different. Most people belong in three categories: business, lounge, or porn. I had to accommodate all three areas for my new life. Hee, I had a lot of fun. 

 

When we returned to Anita's home, or what I call The Pard Palace, the gang was busy getting ready for the coalition meeting for the evening. Micah had finished the larger addition to the house that would hold get-togethers of this size, and all that was left was setting up the chairs, throw rugs, and refreshments. 

 

I was told the rugs were for those groups that mainly lounged instead of sit in chairs. Apparently that's a big thing in the shifter community. I don't know. 

 

The meeting was supposed to start at seven p.m. It was already six. I had just put the finishing touches to my outfit. Just a short red skirt with a black spaghetti strap top. Nothing too fancy, but enough to show off the goods for Richard. I still can't believe that I am pursuing this guy after only being here for only two days. 

 

Being a slayer makes you take you life by the horns. you can't wait and play things safe. You don't know if you may be dead tomorrow. 

 

I checked my watch for the hundredth time and it was six-o-two. That is when I heard the doorbell ring. 

 

 

~*~Part Six~*~ 

 

I heard voices coming from the living room. One stood out more than any of the others. I steeled my sudden attack of butterflyitis and strode nonchalantly into the room. When my eyes caught his, my stomach started doing flip-flops again. 

 

Remember, shy and reserved Buffy took a vacation. I relaxed my shoulders and went to greet my new prospect. 

 

"Richard, Hi." 

 

His hair was still loose and curled to his shoulders, and his burgundy colored shirt was unbuttoned almost to lounge lizard depth, but the chest that was underneath allowed him to pull the look off. He also wore a new set of jeans. That's a good sign. If your date goes to the trouble to wear new clothes then he's interested. 

 

His hands were around his back. That's always a good sign, too. Presents! 

 

His chocolate eyes were thin and his pupils were very dilated. It gave the visual effect of arousal. Combined with his casual smile it made for a very lusty moment. 

 

"I brought the wine." 

 

My smile turned lascivious. "I brought the dessert." 

 

Zane caught my attention out of the corner of my eye. "I brought the Rolaids." He got up and went for the back door. "If I'm not getting any tonight, I don't want to smell it." 

 

My eyes widened a bit, but nothing like surprise showed on my face. 

 

"He's kidding, right?" I asked. 

 

Richard's smile tapered a bit. "Lycanthropes can smell desire." 

 

Great. Where's my FDS when I need it the most? 

 

"Ignore him." Richard offered. 

 

I thanked him with my eyes. "You're early tonight." I took the proffered wine and gestured to the kitchen. 

 

"I wanted a little time to talk to you privately before the shindig." 

 

I looked over my shoulder. "About?" 

 

He stalled for a second. "About last night." 

 

I set the bottle on the kitchen table and started searching the drawers for a wine opener. Richard opened a drawer and pulled one out. Oh yeah, he and Anita used to date. He knows where everything is. 

 

"Is Sonja okay? I know were's can take a lot of damage, but I know I broke something." 

 

He shook his head, dismissing the comment. "You just broke her jaw and she lost three teeth. Once she shifted she was fine." 

 

I was kinda surprised. "You can shift without the full moon?" 

 

He nodded. "Alphas can, and she was forth in line." 

 

"In line for what?" 

 

"Lupa. I only choose out of four supplicants. It keeps things from getting out of control." He screwed the opener into the cork and started working it out of the bottle. "That's why she challenged you. She thought she had to take advantage of the situation before you had a chance to know her weaknesses." 

 

I smirked. "So me braking her jaw makes me number four?" 

 

I could swear he started blushing, but his dark tan makes it hard to tell. "That's what I wanted to talk to you about." 

 

The cork slid free and his attention went to the glasses that I set on the table. "I wanted you to know that nobody expects you to ..." 

 

I closed in, mere inches from his body. I took hold of the glass he was currently pouring. I don't think he was wearing any cologne, but he still had a scent. It was like ... the wilderness. Wow. 

 

I looked up into his eyes as he stalled on his sentence. My voice hushed to almost a whisper. "Expects me to what?" 

 

God he was tall. 

 

"You know ... lupa." He said it slow and syrupy. 

 

I took the glass and turned away. I had to get control of myself or I was going to lose it right here. "What exactly does being lupa mean?" 

 

"Basically it means the Ulfric's girlfriend. I guess the easiest way to explain it is you ... I mean the lupa would be like a queen to the Ulfric's King of the pack." I hid my smile at his Freudian slip. "But it doesn't make ... the person dominant to anyone else." 

 

I took the hint. They attain power through fighting. "So I'm dominant to Sonja, now." 

 

He nodded. "And everyone that she was dominant to in the past." 

 

"Richard, I need you to know something." 

 

He put the bottle down and picked up his glass trying desperately not to seem nervous. It was cute. 

 

"I don't know how much you know about me." 

 

He cut me off before I said anything else. "I know that you are a bit more than human, and you can take care of yourself. Oh, and your name is Buffy Summers." 

 

I smiled, teeth and all. "I'm from another world." 

 

He face went to stone. "Of all the things you could have said, that was absolutely the last thing I would have thought." 

 

I held on to the glass with both hands. "You better sit down. It gets worse." 

 

His hand grappled a chair and he sat, abruptly. 

 

"In my world there are vampires, werewolves, demons and other things that go bump in the night. But they aren't anything like the people here. They're evil." 

 

He nodded. 

 

"And in all the world there is a chosen one. One person gifted with the strength and abilities to fight against that evil," Giles would have been so proud of me, "she is the Slayer." 

 

His lips were parted at the last part when he connected the Slayer with me. 

 

"Two days ago my friends and I went up against a hell god. She was after my sister whose blood was able to open a portal between all of the dimensions including the good and bad ones, allowing things you couldn't dream of access to my world. 

 

"The only way for me to close the portal was ... to stop the flow of blood, permanently." 

 

His eyes widened. "You killed your sister?" 

 

"No!" I'm not telling this right. "She was sent to me, made from me, by a order of monks so that I would protect her from the hell god. 

 

"Her blood and my blood were the same. The only thing I could do was kill myself." This was the hard part. "I jumped off of a four story tower into the portal and died. Except I didn't." 

 

He seemed riveted to the story and my sacrifice. 

 

"You wound up here, in St. Louis." 

 

I nodded. 

 

"And I assume you haven't found a way back." 

 

"Anita was helping me through her contacts and they say odds are it can't be done." 

 

The mood was somber. 

 

"I'm sorry." 

 

I tried to brighten up. I've had my cry and there is nothing I can do right now to change my situation. 

 

"I'm starting a new life here, Richard, but I'm still the Slayer." 

 

He took that in and lifted his glass. "To new beginnings." 

 

~*~*~ 

 

I looked through the kitchen window at Richard and Buffy. From the looks on their faces I'd imagine that she's loading him up on the past few days events. Richard has a good ear for listening. It makes me hurt a little inside that I didn't talk to him much during our relationship; at least about things that mattered. 

 

I know we were oil and water except when we were in bed. I couldn't be the optimist that he wanted and he couldn't be the pragmatist that I wanted. I hope that Buffy has a better chance with him than I did. 

 

"She will." A familiar voice uttered behind me. Micah. 

 

He wrapped me up from behind in his arms. 

 

"She will what?" 

 

"She's more like him than you know, Anita. She'll make a good lupa if that is what they choose." 

 

I frowned. "How do you always know what I am thinking." 

 

He chuckled softly. "You are my Nimir-Ra. You are my soul." 

 

It was so sappy that I almost cringed. But it was Micah, and he was sappy when the conversation was about us. 

 

"What did the illustrious Sgt. Storr have to say this evening?" 

 

I thought back to a few hours ago. Two more shape shifters were brutally killed. I didn't tell Dolph about the first one because it was pack business, according to Richard, and we take care of our own. 

 

The two new bodies were dropped off in front of Police Headquarters almost like a taunt to try and find the killer. I just couldn't figure out why. It can't be a grudge killing. They wouldn't bother to move the bodies. It wasn't ritualistic. There wasn't even the slightest hint of magical residue or any clue pointing to that being the cause. 

 

The only evidence at all was the vicious claw marks on the victims. They screamed shape shifter predator, and that was it. Either we have a psychopathic shifter on our hands or I'm out of ideas. Maybe the coalition meeting tonight can shed some light on the situation. 

 

"Another two wolves were killed tonight." 

 

I felt him tense up. "Richard is going to be pissed." 

 

"No kidding." I wrapped my hand on his. "I need to go break the news." 

 

"I'll make myself scarce." 

 

Point for Micah. He knows that Richard gets wound up tight when Micah is in the same room with me. Even since our display at the lupinar last month, Richard has been envious of the connection of our beasts. 

 

"Thanks." 

 

I twisted the doorknob and found the two of them sipping from their glasses. Good timing. 

 

"Richard, can I talk to you." 

 

His mood visibly changed. "What happened?" 

 

 

~*~Part Seven~*~ 

 

I left Anita and Richard to their talk. From what I heard before I left, it seems as if two more of his wolves were killed. It was still kinda hard thinking of the creatures of this world were just normal people like me. Granted they were infected with a virus; some by choice, some by accident. But it was just a disease. You can't hold it against a person just because they're different. 

 

I decided to busy myself by helping out in the meeting room. I have to earn my keep somehow. I suppose I just can't come out tomorrow and announce I am a Vampire Executioner. I just hope it isn't too complicated. I can't nurse off of Anita for long without feeling guilty. 

 

Much to my good luck everything was already finished and the pard was lounging about waiting for the festivities to start. 

 

Micah invited me in. "Buffy, come join us." 

 

"I just wanted to tell someone that I was going for a walk while they have their talk." 

 

He nodded. "We'll be here." 

 

I smiled and closed the door. Anita's house was not exactly in the middle of nowhere, but enough so to keep any neighbors away if trouble started and give her room to work. A tree line surrounded the house in back and made it so I could disappear for a while without fear of being bothered. 

 

The underbrush was well kept. I assumed that the cats and any other visitors have regular access to the woods on the night of the full moon. I know werewolves in my world liked to hunt on those nights. 

 

I followed the sun had already set and the three-quarter moon was still low in the sky so the darkness was virtually complete. I had the advantage of slayer sight which gave me a leg up on regular people. 

 

After a short walk I checked my watch and it was getting pretty close to seven. I wanted to be there when the meeting started so I could start to make contacts through the community. It never hurts to know people, especially in your line of business. You never know when you might need some help. 

 

I had worked my way around to the front and across the street from the house when I noticed movement in front of me. It was hard not to notice this guy. He was seven feet tall if he was an inch. I stood as still as I could trying to see what he was up to. 

 

That's when I felt something press against the back of my head. 

 

"Don't say anything." Came a whispered voice so low I could barely hear it. 

 

Huh? Isn't it supposed to be 'freeze' or 'don't move' or something like that. I'll assume that's a gun at my head and as fast as I am, I still can't out run a bullet. His hand ran down my back. 

 

"I'm just checking for weapons, not feeling you up." 

 

I endured the search. 

 

"I'm going to lower my weapon. If you make any move to get in my way I'll have to stop you." 

 

What the heck did that mean? He motioned me the side and lifted what I thought was a night vision scope of some kind, looking at Mr. Seven-foot. 

 

I have no idea what to think at this point. So I did the only thing that came to me when trying to get answers. Ask a question. 

 

"Who is he?" 

 

"He's the bad guy." 

 

That told me a lot, not. 

 

"And who are you?" 

 

"The cavalry." 

 

I didn't see it because it was laying in the grass by his left foot, but he just picked up a rifle with a really big scope attached. He set the barrel in the V of two tree branches and peered through the scope. I saw his right hand move to the trigger. 

 

"What are you doing?" 

 

He turned and gave me the hardest, coldest face I have ever seen. 

 

"What's it look like." 

 

I couldn't believe it. He was going to shoot this guy! 

 

He saw my face. "It's in everyone's best interest, Ms. Summers." 

 

He knew my name. Oh well only one thing left to do. I grabbed the gun. The thing that surprised me most was that he didn't offer any resistance. He just let go. It was just a bit too easy. Then I saw the pistol in his left hand. I didn't give him a chance to bring it up. I brought the butt of the rifle down and into his gut. 

 

I heard a rush of wind escape from his mouth, but he still didn't let go of the pistol. Instead he dropped into a crouch and right hand whipped out with a knife to my leg. I yelled and fell down. He cussed. 

 

"Edward, is that you?" Came a voice from where Mr. Seven-foot was. 

 

My attacker stood silent. 

 

"Edward, you can't stop me. I will get my play time." 

 

He had an accent. I could almost place it. When he said Edward it was like he was saying Ed-vard. His voice was harsh and guttural, like in those cheesy World War II movies. German! 

 

My leg felt wet. I clamped my hand harder over the wound. 

 

I watched as my attacker wiped the knife off and sheath it. He took my hand and pulled me up. It was like 'Hey, nice to meet you. Why don't I stab you and then help you over to your friend's house. Maybe we can get a bite to eat later.' 

 

"He's gone." The man said. 

 

"And this is a bad thing? As I seem to recall, you are the one that stabbed me. Maybe I should be calling him back?" 

 

He kept scanning the trees when we made it to the road in front of the house. "You wouldn't want him to come to your rescue Ms. Summers, ever." 

 

The front yard was filled with cars, limos, and various people all of which were looking at us as we approached. 

 

My attacker yelled ahead. "Get Anita!" 

 

He was smart enough to announce his presence in front everyone. I saw some of the wereleopards rushing to us and I wouldn't want to be him if he didn't know Anita. Things might get bitten off. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

Micah burst through the back door. "Anita! Trouble out front." 

 

I cleared the Browning before I had gone two steps. Micah led the way and Richard was right behind me. Before we had the chance to make it off of the porch, I saw Buffy and she was being carried along the driveway by Edward. Damn, what's he doing here? 

 

I holstered the Browning and made my way through the gathering crown of shape shifters. Edward was also carrying a sniper rifle. Oh so many questions to ask and so little time. 

 

Zane took Buffy from Edward's hands and picked her up. I saw her wince and then noticed the blood dripping down her leg. 

 

"What happened?" 

 

Buffy cringed. "Your boy here just stabbed me in the leg." 

 

My eyes darted to Edward. "Why?" 

 

His cold blue eyes turned and looked back at the road. Satisfied that they were safe for the moment he turned back to answer me. "Olaf." 

 

My blood ran cold at the mention of that name. Seven months back, when I went to Arizona to pay back Edward a favor I met Olaf. To say that he was psychotic didn't seem to do the man justice. From a contact of mine in the F.B.I. I had heard he was once a government spook. 

 

He had a nasty habit of taking young women with my build and hair color and raping them, dismembering their corpses and playing with the parts for any length of time. He was seven feet of hard muscle and had trained on the government's tax dollars to kill people. That's all he did. 

 

He had served a stint in prison a few years back for raping a woman. The only reason it wasn't murder is because the police showed up a bit too early. 

 

Apparently he had a hard-on for me when we took down The Red Woman's Husband. He cut off his head while I tore out his heart. After that he had told me that I would have made a good man. It was his idea of a compliment. He hates women with a passion. The last I had heard from him was the note he left for me. the part that scared me the most was "...WE WOULD STILL KILL TOGETHER, AND CUT THE BODIES UP, AND THAT WOULD BE MORE THAN I EVER DREAMED OF SHARING WITH A WOMAN." 

 

Sick or what? 

 

"He's gone for now, but he'll be back." 

 

I looked down at Buffy. "Zane take her to the bathroom. Cherry take a look at her." 

 

"This was a brand new skirt. I hate you." Buffy said sarcastically to Edward. 

 

After they went inside Richard, Micah and I loomed in front of the house. "Why did you stab her, Edward." 

 

"She got in my way, Anita. I had Olaf in my sites when she grabbed my rifle." 

 

Richard's anger surfaced again. "So you stabbed her?" He turned and strode inside. "You deal with your soul mate, Anita. I'm going to see how Buffy is dong." 

 

That stung. Admittedly, Edward and I were more alike than I feel comfortable with. He doesn't let anything get in the way of business; even if it's a friend. His biggest fantasy is a draw down between me and him. But he confessed that working with me guarantees a harder challenge and higher body count. So the day that we face off gets further and further away, because the last few years are nothing if not eventful. 

 

~*~*~ 

 

I unzipped the skirt and slid it down my legs. Cherry was on her knees in front of me and hissed at the sight of the cut. 

 

"I bet that stings." 

 

"And you used to be a nurse?" 

 

She looked up at me. "You'll need a few stitches." 

 

There was a soft knock at the door, and it opened slowly. 

 

"Occupied." I said. 

 

"It's Richard." 

 

Oh. Uh ... towel. I grabbed the nearest towel off the shower rack and covered my black undies. He didn't need to know that I wear a thong just yet. 

 

"Come in." 

 

Cherry stood. "Richard, keep her company. I need to grab some supplies." 

 

He slid out of the way and made himself at home on the bathtub while I sat on the toilet. How romantic. UGH! 

 

He looked at the wound. "Busy night?" 

 

"I've had worse." I tried to sound tough but it wasn't working. 

 

His eyebrows went up and I lifted my shirt to show the scar I had gotten from a vamp when he got lucky one night and used my own stake against me. 

 

His hand reached out to touch the round scar and as soon as our skin met I felt that familiar tingling sensation, again. It spread across my torso like molten chocolate syrup. It was doubly difficult because two very sensitive regions were very close at that point. He started to pull back when he saw the effect it was having on me, but I wouldn't let him. My back bowed into his touch and I gasped when the feeling reached between my thighs and up into my breasts. 

 

"Oh my God." I whispered. "What are you doing to me?" 

 

His voice dropped, going thick and creamy all of the sudden. "It's you that are doing it to me, Buffy." 

 

Cherry chose that moment to return. "Knock knock, you guys decent?" 

 

Richard snatched his hand back and I was left again yearning for his touch. For him to continue moving that hand lower until ... 

 

"Richard ... out." Cherry ordered. "I don't need her blood pressure increasing until I get these stitches in." She looked at him harshly and starting muttering to herself. "Sex, sex, sex. That's all he thinks about." 

 

Before he left he turned back and looked at me. His eyes were glassy and dark, I knew mine were the same and I let the towel drop slowly away. If he keeps this up, he's gonna find out about my thong sooner rather than later. Let him think about it sooner. 

 

 

~*~Part Eight~*~ 

 

I could feel them in there. Their desire, their heat. Ever since Jean-Claude, Richard, and I closed the marks we have all been connected. And if we aren't careful those marks open and we can feel the other person. Their emotions, their memories, everything. 

 

I thought Richard had the strongest shields of the three of us. I guess I was wrong about that too. Jean-Claude still holds the prize. Richard leaked all over me a moment ago. I felt his lust and his pain from being alone. There was something else that slipped through: a memory. 

 

He lied to me. In all of his male vanity, he lied to me. It was just Raina and me. He'd never been with anyone else. All of the girls down in Tennessee he supposedly slept with when he was 'interviewing' for lupa was a lie. Even sex with Betty Schaffer, the person Richard supposedly raped in Tennessee, was a lie. 

 

All he has known was pain: being used by Raina and being involved with me. Granted I never tried to eviscerate him while we were having sex, but... 

 

Now he likes Buffy, who he has known all of two hours total. I'm counting thirty minutes last night and an hour and a half tonight. Two hours and he wants to jump in the sack with her and make her his sex puppy. 

 

Micah squeezed my arm. "You only knew me for an hour before we did it." 

 

I through him off of my arm. "Would you stop that!" I hate it when he does that mind reading crap. I know he's not psychic, but it is damn freaky all the same. 

 

Edward made himself at home, as usual. Richard sat across from him at the kitchen table, scowling away. 

 

"How did you know?" 

 

Edward never needed much explanation when asked a question. The problem was getting the answers out of him. He loves a good secret. Luckily he spilled ... this time. 

 

"My client has an interest in finding out who is killing a number of lycanthropes over a five state area within the last six months. At first it was just killing and dismemberment, now the killer has shifted his M.O. to mirror those of the victim's lycanthrope type. 

 

"You can follow his blood trail all along I-44 right up into town. It wasn't until tonight that I actually caught up with him." 

 

I saw the answer coming that I didn't want to see. "How did you know to look here." 

 

He laughed. Edwards laugh is kind of a cross of evil and country boy. Sometimes I think he gets his Ted Forrester persona crossed with his Death persona. 

 

"Anita, you are getting famous in the shape shifter community for starting the first shaper shifter coalition. Lots of lycanthropes are taking notice. I knew if I had a chance to catch up with him in St. Louis it would be at this meeting. A few phone calls was all it took to find out when." 

 

********** 

 

I had to admit. Cherry was a lot more skilled at this than I gave her credit for. This is definitely better than going to the hospital. The shot she gave me didn't even hurt. Either it was her skill or my attention being totally devoted to the last few minutes when Richard was in here. 

 

"That should do it." Cherry noted as she put the last bit of tape on the gauze bandage covering the wound. Try to stay off the leg as much as possible over the next six days. I'll take the stitches out then." 

 

I touched the wound gingerly. "They'll need to come out by tomorrow morning at the latest, Cherry." 

 

Her eyebrows perked up. "You have rapid healing abilities?" 

 

I nodded. "Probably not as quick as you guys but a lot faster than a normal human." 

 

After she gathered her instruments of nursedom she added. "And no sex tonight ... well no vaginal sex." 

 

"Cherry!" 

 

She looked at me very seriously. "Buffy, Richard likes his sex very hard and I don't want you tearing those stitches." 

 

"Cherry!" 

 

"What?" 

 

I shook my head in resignation. "I don't normally have sex with a guy on the first date and this isn't even a date." 

 

She pointed her finger at me. "See you said 'normally.' Richard is anything but normal." 

 

Don't I know it. 

 

"Out!" 

 

She stifled a giggle before the left and closed the door. I checked out the skirt I was wearing. The fabric wasn't cut, but I'd have to soak it in cold water if I have even the faintest chance of the stain coming out. That left me with nothing to wear out of the bathroom except a towel. Great. 

 

After a moment a soft knock came at the door and a hand shot through quickly dropping a pair of red leather pants on the counter. Lucky me. Though tight pants aren't the ideal thing on top of stitches. 

 

I strode back out to the kitchen where the Edward guy and Richard were having a staring contest and slid my hand across Richard's shoulders. No funky feeling. Just as I thought. Whatever we have between us requires skin to skin contact. No sex tonight, Buffy. 

 

Richard looked up at me and smiled. "Are you okay?" 

 

I nodded. "I'll have the stitches out tomorrow morning." 

 

He seemed to feel better when he heard that . 

 

I gave Edward a squinty eyed glare. "But my skirt won't be okay." 

 

He leaned back in his chair and winked. "Shouldn't of grabbed my rifle." 

 

"$23.47" 

 

The grin left his face. Normally I would have taken it out of his hide but this was Anita's house. I felt Richard's shoulder tense. This guy scares Richard? 

 

I had to repeat myself. "$23.47 to replace the skirt." 

 

I saw his cold blue eyes shift to Richard and back to mine then behind me. Unbeknownst to me, Cherry, Zane and Nathaniel had entered the kitchen and Edward looked a little ... still. 

 

I didn't want a fight in Anita's kitchen. I turned away and moved to the counter by the sink. "It was Anita's money. Make sure you pay her back or I'll come to collect. And Edward, you don't want me to come collect." 

 

Out of the corner of my eye I saw his hand under the table holding the same pistol that he pulled out earlier, except it was pointed at Richard. 

 

I know he saw the same thing I did sitting beside the sink: a knife holder with an assortment of kitchen knives available. 

 

"Fine." 

 

I turned and pulled a chair out from the table and sat cattycorner between the two men. 

 

"Thank you. Now you can put up your pistol." 

 

His eyes thinned. Richard's widened. "You were going to shoot one of us over twenty-four dollars?" 

 

Edward holstered his weapon. "It's not about the money." 

 

I turned to Richard. "It's about his ego." 

 

Edward slid his chair back and headed to the back door. "I'm going to check out the parameter." 

 

The door closed and Richard chuckled. "I don't think I have ever seen him back down from anyone but Anita. You've either just made a enemy or a friend and I'm not taking any bets on which." 

 

I smiled and reached for his hand, but thought better of it and let it lay on the table. He noticed and a small grin crossed his face. "So ... I brought the wine." 

 

My eyes brightened. "Hold on a sec." I got up from the chair and opened the refrigerator. "I brought the dessert. Chocolate-Cherry Cheesecake." 

 

That perked Cherry's ears up . "Yeah!" 

 

Richard smirked. "My favorite." 

 

*************** 

 

The meeting went fairly uneventful. I made an announcement to be on the look out for a seven foot goon with a freaky look in his eye, and we adjourned. When I got back inside, Buffy was sacked out on the couch and Richard was sitting with her with her feet in his lap. 

 

When he saw me he carefully rose, laid her legs down and pulled a blanket up to her chin. I watched as he crossed the living room. 

 

"Any sign of Olaf?" He asked. 

 

I shook my head. "Edward said that he probably switched to plan B, whatever that is. Since his identity had been compromised he'll be more aggressive." 

 

"More aggressive?" 

 

"I'd make a suggestion. Get the pack accounted for. This guy is nuts, Richard. He doesn't care who he hurts, just as long as his appetite is sated." 

 

He nodded. "Tell Buffy I said bye." 

 

He was out the back door and collecting his bodyguards before I had the chance to say anything." 

 

The jealousy was setting in again and I pushed it right back out. I had more important things to worry about. The house was dark and I knew Micah and Nathaniel would be coming inside in a few minutes. I just wanted a little while to unwind before I bedded down. The chair by the couch was inviting as I sat and stretched out the day's worries. 

 

"I'll back off if you want me to." 

 

I knew it was too quiet. Buffy just gave me an out. I could have Richard even if I couldn't have him. She was nice enough to offer. I don't think I could have done the same. 

 

"Just don't hurt him, Buffy. Just don't hurt him." 

 

She nodded and closed her eyes again. 

 

Off in the distance I heard an explosion. It was loud enough to shake the windows. Buffy and I jerked up and drew the same conclusion. 

 

"Richard!" 

 

We were out the front door and running to the street as fast as we could. She was slowed by her leg, but was still outdistancing me. I opened up the marks that bound us and called to Richard. No response. Jean-Claude! The Master of St. Louis was aware of the emergency and was dispatching his vampires to the streets. 

 

Up ahead the smoking wreckage of Richard's car laid upside down in the middle of the road. I saw a tall figure pulling what could have been Richard's limp body from the car. 

 

Buffy was halfway there already, being followed by several of the wereleopards who had appeared suddenly. 

 

I heard her scream. "RICHARD!" 

 

It was Olaf, I knew it was. He had the advantage of time and threw Richard into his trunk, shutting the lid, and scrambled into the drivers side gunning the engine into the darkness. 

 

Buffy stumbled, her leg finally giving out from the stress and hit the ground. 

 

 

~*~Part Nine~*~ 

 

The pavement was cold, but the burning in my leg prevented me from standing up. Damn! 

 

"Somebody go get a car!" 

 

Edward was right behind Anita. "Won't do any good. Olaf is smart enough to cover his escape. We have to wait for him to make the first move. 

 

I didn't care if my leg fell off, I got up anyway. "Are you insane. He's been killing werewolves for fun. What makes you think he'll let Richard live." 

 

Anita answered that one. "Because he doesn't want Richard. He wants me." 

 

I started back to the house, limping heavily. 

 

Edward stopped me with his hand outstretched. "You're bleeding." 

 

I whipped out a left cross to his jaw. Not hard enough to break it but enough to knock him on his butt. A small trickle of blood leaked out from the side of his mouth. 

 

"So are you." 

 

I kept walking. I let my anger take me to the front door and to the bathroom where I stripped off my pants and threw them in the trash. No matter how hard you try, you can't get blood out of leather. I had busted all five stitches, but the wound had already stopped bleeding. 

 

Cherry was at the door with her medical kit. She made with the needle and thread, but I stopped her and reached for some tape instead. I didn't care if I had a nasty scar or not. I just needed my leg to stay closed under fighting conditions. 

 

After I took care of business, I walked back out to my bags in the living room and pulled out a pair of sweats. The gathering crowd just looked at me. I didn't care. 

 

Micah stepped in close. "Buffy, I'm ..." 

 

I stopped him with my open palm. "Micah, do you have any left over wood laying around and a big knife?" 

 

He just nodded. 

 

"Fine, lead the way." 

 

************ 

 

We gathered at Guilty Pleasures. I had left my cats at home to tend to Richard's bodyguards. Jean-Claude had his vampires and half of Richard's pack out scouring the city for any sign of a seven foot bald man. 

 

I wasn't feeling that confident in Buffy's ability to handle herself in this situation. She seethed anger from every pore. Granted I was pissed as hell. Nobody takes what's mine to protect. And even though Richard has moved on, he's still mine. 

 

Jean-Claude's office was busy and quiet at the same time. People came and went. Hushed tones were used, and faces were painted with nervous energy. The office phone rang for the hundredth time that night. 

 

Jean-Claude picked it up. "Oui ... Oui. Ma patite it is one of your cats." 

 

I felt the tension rise in the room as I held my hand out for the phone. 

 

"Anita, it's Zane. He called. He said that he wanted you, alone down at pier three warehouse seventeen in thirty minutes or Richard dies. If he suspects that anyone else is with you ..." 

 

"Thanks Zane." 

 

I hung up the phone, and headed out the door. Buffy and Edward tried to stop me. 

 

"You can't go up against him alone, Anita." Edward insisted. 

 

I stopped and turned to him. Buffy had a very resolved look on her face as well, but didn't say anything. 

 

"If he sees you two, Richard's dead." 

 

Edward looked insulted, Buffy just gestured like she'd heard it all before. "So then he won't see us." 

 

"Or me, ma petite." 

 

The gang's all here. 

 

We took two separate cars, me in my jeep, and the other three in a dodge neon, just in case Olaf had done enough recognizance to recognize Edward's or Jean-Claude's cars. 

 

Thirty minutes was cutting it close for any type of battle plan. I left it to Buffy and Jean-Claude to get Richard out of the warehouse. Edward and I will deal with Olaf. 

 

************** 

 

I sat in the back seat smoldering; sub-vocalizing under my breath. "I will walk through the fire and let it burrrrn." 

 

Edward glanced in the review mirror at me. "We're here." 

 

"Which one is it?" I demanded. 

 

The place was littered with warehouses. Tall two story, flat-roofed buildings. The only lights in the area were security spots by the entrance doors of each building 

 

"Two more down and one left." 

 

Jean-Claude opened his door and pulled the seat up, offering me his hand out. I took it. No need to injure myself further. 

 

Edward came around the front of the car, messing with one of his guns. He looked at Jean-Claude. "If you take the roof, Buffy and I will come in through the back." 

 

Jean-Claude nodded and watched as Edward moved. After he was out of earshot he touched my arm. "Do not let your fire consume you, ma feu d'or." 

 

I blinked and pulled away, following Edward as far as I would let him lead. He was taking his time looking over each building before he passed and only moving when he was satisfied that there were no traps. 

 

When we finally reached warehouse seventeen I breathed in the humid air of the waterfront. 

 

"Remember, just get the Ulfric out and let Anita and I take care of Olaf." 

 

I saw movement from above and caught the last glimpse of Jean-Claude hopping from one warehouse to the next. The area was very humid and the night air was biting. The pain in my thigh was at a low throb. 

 

We approached on of the side windows to warehouse seventeen and took a look inside. Most of the view was blocked by storage containers and Edward nodded. I guess we were going in here. He slung his machine gun around his shoulder and took out a very large knife. 

 

I glanced around quickly making sure the coast was clear. When I looked back he had the window open and his fingers threaded for me to step up. It only took a few moments to hop through the window and disappear in the darkness, before Edward could follow. 

 

Once I made sure I successfully ditched Edward. I stretched out my senses and tried to get a visual of the surroundings. I got a look at one of the containers. Industrial Blade #4827. Okay, whatever that was. 

 

"Anita, right on time. Lucky for your boyfriend." 

 

I ducked down. Apparently Anita just showed up on the scene. 

 

"I'm here, Olaf. Let him go." 

 

I couldn't see a thing. I tried to move to a better vantage point. 

 

"How could you let this monster touch you, Anita?" 

 

Monster? Who's calling the kettle, black? 

 

"We're not involved, Olaf." Anita answered, calm and collected. 

 

He laughed. "Then you wouldn't mind me letting go of this chain?" 

 

I didn't hear her answer. 

 

His voice dropped lower and more guttural. "I've always wondered about the recuperative powers of a werewolf. They say lycanthropes can heal almost any wound." 

 

"Olaf, don't." 

 

I finally found a break between the containers and got to see what Olaf had done. 

 

"Can they survive being cut in half, Anita?" 

 

My mouth dropped open at the sight before me. Richard laid stretched out on two crates. He was bound, arms and legs by very thick chains. Above him swayed, what I am assuming was Industrial Blade #4827 attached to a chain leading to a lever that Olaf had firm in his grasp. 

 

The blade had to be the size of a Buick. The only way to get Richard out of this situation unharmed was to get him out from under the blade. 

 

"Go ahead and shoot me, Anita. If I fall then the blade goes with me and your boyfriend dies." 

 

Anita didn't budge. "What do you want Olaf?" 

 

"I want you to put your weapons on that table over there." 

 

I ducked. He was pointing straight at me. I couldn't see what Anita was doing, but I heard footfalls in my direction, and what I guessed was her pistol being put on the table. 

 

"Both pistols, please." 

 

She sighed and the second pistol was added. 

 

"Now your knives, please." 

 

Two thunks hit the table. 

 

"And the blade at your back." 

 

She complied. 

 

"Is there anything else I should be aware of?" 

 

"That's everything, Olaf. Now let him go." 

 

He chuckled again. Apparently he was really enjoying himself. "Now get back to where you were." 

 

He was separating Anita from her weapons. As far as I knew, that was everything she had, and I hadn't known about the short sword that she held at her back. Well it wasn't a sword, but it might as well have been. 

 

I risked a peek over the crate I was behind. Olaf had his back turned to me. 

 

"Edward, you can come out now." 

 

Anita answered him. "I snuck out without him knowing, Olaf." 

 

"Anita, if you are lying to me I'll drop this lever just to spite you." 

 

I reached around the side of the crate and carefully lifted the long blade off of the table. 

 

I let them have their staring contest while I moved to the side just enough to get a running head start before Olaf spoted me. 

 

"Edward. I can smell you, Edward." 

 

That stopped me in my tracks. Smell? I thought Olaf was human? 

 

"Something you forgot to mention, Olaf?" Anita questioned. 

 

This isn't good Edward is the only one that is armed and I have no idea what Jean-Claude is capable of. And since I couldn't see any love lost between Richard and Edward, I was guessing that maybe I was Richard's only hope. I did the only thing that I could think of that might help matters. I separated Olaf from the lever. 

 

"First Edward, then answers, Anita ... what?" 

 

******************* 

 

I was dead, Richard was dead, and if what I guessed was true, Jean-Claude and Edward would be in for the fight of their lives. Olaf was a werewolf. It had to have happened before all of the killings six months ago. Somehow Olaf must have been infected. 

 

I thought Gabriel and Raina were bad. I shuddered at what Olaf had turned into. Being seven foot tall, muscle bound, psychotic and a lycanthrope was not a good mix. 

 

I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, behind Olaf. I didn't want to take a good look because that would have alerted Olaf to a problem. 

 

Just then the loud whirling of the air fans stopped from behind me. That made me jump to two conclusions. Edward must be behind me and Buffy must be behind Olaf. It was the air movement that gave Edward away. His scent was carried across the warehouse where Olaf could smell him. 

 

My eyes widened. Buffy had been bleeding earlier. If he smells that, we're all dead. Olaf would know that this place is crawling with people. It was then that I saw Buffy standing up from a different angle; just over Olaf's shoulder, and throwing my blade. 

 

"...what?" 

 

Buffy's aim was true and the blade passed cleanly through Olaf's left wrist. His scream was deafening. The next few seconds were a blur. I dove to the ground to give Edward room to work and tried to make my way back over to the table to get my weapons. 

 

Buffy jumped high over the crate and landed on his back. Olaf growled deep and his skin erupted into a mass of brown fur. I guess that explains why he thought he was safe without any weapons. 

 

Olaf tossed Buffy off of him against the far wall, and Edward unloaded his mini-Uzi the hard way. I've seen vampire's cut in half by the spray from my own mini-Uzi, and I was hoping for the same from Edward's. 

 

I was out of luck. Olaf was too fast and dodged to the side, behind a line of storage containers. He may have been hit. There was too much blood on the floor from his lost hand so I couldn't tell. 

 

I made it to my weapons and holstered the Firestar. I flicked the safety off of the Browning and tracked the length of the warehouse. Buffy was standing there with a wooden stake in her hand. What the hell was she thinking. 

 

"Buffy, it isn't a vampire." 

 

She didn't take her eyes off of the rafters. "Duh!" 

 

"Only silver can kill it." 

 

I watched as her eyes tracked along the rafters like she had spotted something. 

 

"Are you saying if I stick this in his head and through his brain that he will still fight me?" 

 

Uh. 

 

"It will definitely slow him down." 

 

"Then Edward and you can finish him off. Get Richard, I'm getting Olaf." 

 

And she was off. If I hadn't seen if with my own eyes I wouldn't have believed it. Even with an injured leg she back-flipped to the top of a ten foot crate. 

 

 

~*~Part Ten~*~ 

 

I could catch the outline of two 'somethings' up in the rafters. I'm sure the bigger of the two was Olaf. From the top of the Storage containers I jumped once more a got a hold on one of the metal beams to pull myself up. 

 

With the lights below me, my night vision kicked in and I could tell Jean-Claude and Olaf apart. From a look at Olaf's left hand I could also tell that shifting doesn't make you grow back missing limbs as fast as just healing regular wounds. 

 

He was moving as fast as he could, trying to evade the reach of Jean-Claude, but he wasn't as fast as a Master Vampire on his game. I ran along the beam and closed in on the two as Jean-Claude leaped upon the gigantic werewolf. 

 

Chunks of fur fell to the floor as well as a good amount of blood. Olaf growled and scraped at the vampire and I neared even closer. 

 

Jean-Claude took an unlucky break and lost his footing. The werewolf took advantage of the moment and tossed him off of the rafters. I wasn't concerned with Jean-Claude. He could probably take the fall okay. That's one good thing about being dead. You're hard to kill. 

 

However with Jean-Claude out of the way it gave me room to do a little work. I pulled one of my stakes out of my jacket and let it fly. Over the years I have become proficient at the flying stake throw. I could keep my bragging rights. The stake imbedded itself to the hilt into Olaf's shoulder. 

 

I knew it wasn't going to harm him in the long run, but I wasn't trying to kill him; just trying to get him to let go of the rafters. He had to let go in order to remove the stake. Quick healing doesn't do any good if the weapon if still stuck in the wound. 

 

He did as anticipated and let go to grab the stake. I leaned back as far as I could and leaped to the other side tackling Olaf and in the process knocking both of us off of the rafters. The fall was only about twenty feet and I had a cushion to land on. Olaf wasn't as lucky. 

 

We hit the floor and Edward was inches away waiting for me to get out of the way so he could make his kill. I gave him his chance. 

 

I thought I was going to go deaf from all of the gunshots fired mere feet from my head, but I got over it. Jean-Claude pulled me away just in case. I really wasn't in the mood to argue. 

 

I looked over to see Richard sitting on the floor by the crates. Anita was tending to his injuries. I limped over. My leg felt as if it was going to fall off. I just wanted to sit down. 

 

I grunted a little as I slid down the side of the crate, next to Richard. His eyes were seriously glassed over. 

 

"Olaf pumped him full of tranquilizers. He's going to be a little loopy for a while." Anita explained. 

 

I smiled and closed my eyes for a second. 

 

"Buffy?" Anita asked, concerned. 

 

I opened my eyes back up. "Huh?" 

 

"Those scratches on your arm." 

 

I looked at my left arm. "S'ok Olaf just scratched me when we fell. He didn't get a chance to bite me, so I'm cool." 

 

I think Richard tried to focus on my arm. It was hard to tell, with his head swaying back and forth. He looked seriously drunk. 

 

"Buffy, that's one of the ways that you can catch lycanthropy. He didn't need to bite you. Just a small scratch from a werewolf is enough, and you have four nasty looking cuts." 

 

Great. Just Great. 

 

********************** 

 

We got Richard and Buffy back to my house and emptied the rest of Cherry's medical bag to fix the wounded ... Buffy. I let them have my bed to recuperate. I know ... I'm an old softy. Whatever. Buffy saved my ass and I owe her one, and she got a serious thorn out of my side to boot. I'll never have another dream about Olaf ringing my doorbell and asking me out on a date. That's enough to send shivers up my spine in itself. 

 

They slept the entire night and all of the next day before waking up Thursday night. Buffy's wounds were healed over and had shown only a little pink scar where they used to be. We don't know if it was her slayer healing or side effects of the lycanthropy virus. It's only three more nights until the full moon. I guess we'll find out then. 

 

From what Buffy says, she's been fighting the monsters for over five years. Now there's a chance that she will be one. She's a little nervous, but I think she'll deal with it just fine, as long as Richard stays by her side. And knowing Richard, the world's biggest boy scout, can you expect anything different?


	2. Decisions to be Made

~*~Part One~*~

 

I was lying on my right side in bed and someone was spooning me. Someone that seemed to be causing war sensations to radiate throughout my body. Richard.

 

I wasn't in Sunnydale anymore. I kept having to remind myself of that little fact again and again. I didn't have to get up and burn breakfast for my little sister, Dawn. I didn't have to worry about living on a hellmouth and patrolling night after night for demons and vampires, with no pay, no thanks, and no life.

 

God I missed my life.

 

Flashes of the past paged through my head. I missed my friends and I wondered what they were doing right now. I looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read 6:37. Since the sun was in the east window, I'm guessing that it's morning. They're probably sleeping. Or maybe not.

 

Time seems to have changed during my little dimensional jaunt. When I leaped from the tower to close the rift in-between worlds it was late May. Now it's the beginning of November. It didn't make any sense to me, but then again nothing in this world makes any sense, except the warm body snuggled up against me.

 

It was only two nights ago when I thought Richard was going to die at the hands of a psychopathic, German, bald man. When I woke up last night I told myself that I wasn't going to waste anymore time of my life. I just didn't know what tomorrow was going to bring.

 

So when Richard brought me to his home to get cleaned up and change his clothes ... well, lets just say that I let him get cleaned up. No clothes were needed for the rest of the night.

 

Cherry was wrong about one thing. Richard didn't take his sex, rough. He was as gentle as a kitten, making sure I was taken care of time and again before he tended to his own needs. The only thing I could think of was Anita must have been insane to let this guy go.

 

Willow would have really liked him. I would have had to strap Anya down to keep her away from him, and Xander would have called him fur -face or something stupid like that. Dawn would have been jumping up and down that I was getting a new boyfriend and Giles ... I have no idea what Giles would have said. He would have probably cleaned his glasses a few times and smiled.

 

"Buffy, are you okay?"

 

I jumped. Richard. Calm down, Buffy. I turned around in his arms.

 

"I'm fine." I answered.

 

"Why are you crying."

 

I hadn't even realized I was. "I miss my friends and my sister."

 

He pulled me close and kissed the top of my head. "I'm sorry. It must be really hard."

 

I nodded and sniffed away anymore errant emotions. Don't burden the new boyfriend with troubles. Bad way to start a relationship.

 

"Buffy, if you want to talk about it, I'm a good listener. Or if you want me to let it be, I can do that too."

 

That was scary. Most guys would either bug me about whatever is bothering me or ignore my pain altogether. I don't think I've ever met someone that gave me the option. It was kinda nice.

 

"I want to talk about it, but not now, 'kay?"

 

 

He nodded.

 

Time for the horrible truth segment of the day. "Richard, I don't normally do something like this."

 

My face was still in his chest. I could smell the wilderness on his smooth firm skin. He still smelled fresh after everything we did last night.

 

"You mean talk about your feelings?"

 

I laughed and pulled back. "No," I looked down at his body and mine. "I mean sleep with someone that I barely know."

 

He smiled softly and ran his fingers through my hair. "It's the danger, isn't it? Not knowing what will happen hour after hour, day after day."

 

"Are you a psychic, also?"

 

He nodded his head. "Can't hide anything from me, missy."

 

I smirked. "So can you read my mind right now?"

 

He leaned in and kissed me lightly. "Yes, but I have to be at school in thirty minutes."

 

I surprised myself at how fast I sat up. "Oh, I forgot. I'll get dressed and ..."

 

He pushed me back down and kissed me again a bit harder this time.

 

"You are to stay right here and wait for me to get back." He played.

 

I was game. "So, you want me to just lay here all day, thinking about you. What if I can't wait?"

 

He threw the covers off and climbed out of bed. Oh my god he was a tease. He was still unclothed from the night before. He was so well muscled and well proportioned ... and I mean well proportioned. I felt my insides go all gooey just thinking about it ... not it ... just him. I watched him cross the floor and enter the bathroom.

 

"I'm sure you'll think of some way to entertain yourself."

 

Oh, he was good at this game!

 

I heard the shower running and I fantasized about going in there and soaping him down. My body shivered. Damn school day. Thank goodness it's Friday. I get him to myself all weekend.

 

I decided I need to get motivated, and rummaged through his closet for a shirt to wear. I had snuck my bag into Richard's car last night so I'd have plenty to wear, though I'd have to do a little ironing before anything was presentable.

 

On the back of the closet door hung a flannel robe. It was way too small to be Richard's. My only guess was it might have been Anita's. There was no way I was going to remind him of his last girlfriend so I just pulled one of his four-hundred or so flannel shirts off of its hanger.

 

I wrapped it around me, pulled it up to my nose and breathed him in. His scent was on everything around me. It was intoxicating. My eyes closed and the scent drew me back to last night and ...

 

"Having fun?"

 

Dammit.

 

"What is it about everyone's need to sneak up on me."

 

He laughed. I wasn't laughing. He was toweling himself off. I was gawking.

 

"If you are just trying to tease me ... well then it's working."

 

He had towel dried his hair and let it hang there damp and curly and dark and get out of the bedroom Buffy before you embarrass yourself.

 

"I'm going to get my stuff out of the car." I just realized I made a major new relationship mistake. "Sorry, I mean ..."

 

He smiled. "Buffy, get your stuff. I'll make some room in the closet and I have three empty drawers at your disposal."

 

I turned back. "Richard, I didn't mean to presume that I was moving in or anything, I'm sorry."

 

"My house is your house. Stay as long as you need to or want to."

 

I felt a lump at my throat and my eyes welled up. What am I getting myself into?

 

"Thanks."

 

"Oh, and Buffy."

 

"Yeah."

 

"When I get home, I want to talk to you about Sunday."

 

My mind went totally blank. "Sunday?"

 

His face got serious. "The full moon. It's Sunday night."

 

Oh.

 

********************

 

Bert was on the rampage today. The first two clients of Animators Inc. had cancelled their appointments. Cancelled appointments meant no consultation fee and no new business. The rest of us weren't worried. We had enough to keep us busy for the next three years. And I am not exaggerating.

 

We were one of only a couple of animating firms in the area and the other guys suck. By working with RPIT I had acquired a certain notoriety in the press. In the public's eye, I was a miracle worker in the field of the dead. My picture in the paper and numerous articles brought in business hand over fist.

 

That is why I can get away with so much. If Bert pisses me off, I quit and take my client list with me. I don't abuse my power ... too much.

 

The intercom beeped and Mary, the daytime receptionist, announced that she was transferring a call from Miss Buffy Summers. I picked up the phone.

 

 

"Hello, Buffy."

 

"Hi, Anita. Am I calling at a bad time?"

 

"Not at all. Still coming in today?"

 

I had offered to set up an interview with Bert. He would love to boast about having the only Vampire Executioner and two trainees in a three state area, including Missouri, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The other trainee was Larry Kirkland, except Larry was still in school at Washington State. He was only able to work here as a co-op.

 

"What time should I come in?"

 

I looked outside my door. Bert was pacing the floor. "Right now would be perfect."

 

"Okay, see ya in a few."

 

"Oh, Buffy."

 

"Yeah."

 

"Wear anything but black. Bert hates black."

 

"Thanks, bye."

 

Who says I can't do a good deed every once in a while? Bert insists that we wear nice and bright colors. The first time I submitted a dry cleaning bill he nearly had a coronary. Black hides blood stains better than any other color. Ever since then he grumbles a little but I get to wear my black.

 

I went to refill my empty coffee mug. Bert hated my mugs, so I went out of my way to find the most annoying ones that were out there. A friend of my made my latest one. Animators don't do it laying down.

 

I thought it was funny.

 

Mary was watching the noon news on the waiting room T.V. I glanced at the weather forecast as I passed. I liked to keep up on the possibility of being rained out. Zombies could stand the cold, but rain tends to bother them. Something about degrading body parts, I don't know. My magic holds them together just fine. But Bert didn't need to know that.

 

The weatherman reported clear skies for the next week. Oh well.

 

******************

 

I really have to look into getting a car if I get this job. St. Louis is not Sunnydale. I can't get to where I am going if I have to walk everywhere. Oh the joys of the busing system. It was clean, but the guy next to me left something to be desired.

 

When I finally made it to Animators Inc. I expected to see the place decorated in graveyard chic. I was surprised to find it like any other business office. The receptionist called Anita and I waited.

 

"Buffy."

 

I looked up from the latest issue of Vogue. At least some things hadn't changed.

 

"Hi Anita."

 

Anita looked over at the receptionist. "Mary, is Bert busy?"

 

The white haired lady nodded. "He on a phone call, long distance."

 

Anita smiled. "Great, come on Buffy. I'll make the introductions."

 

Was I missing something?

 

She didn't even bother knocking on the door. We entered and I saw a guy sitting behind the desk. He was obviously tall, but I couldn't tell how tall while he was still sitting. He was dressed in a very expensive gray business suit which matched his colorless gray eyes.

 

His smiled turned to a frown at our entrance.

 

"Bert, I've brought you some money." Anita announced.

 

He directed his comment into the phone. "Steve I'll have to call you back."

 

That was quick. I think I've found Anya's soulmate.

 

He stood double quick and dodged the desk. "Hello, I'm Bert Vaughn."

 

"Bert, this is Buffy Summers, your new vampire executioner."

 

I could see his eyes waver a bit. "Excuse me?"

 

"Buffy is new in town ... from out of the country. She's a vampire executioner, and she wants to make you thousands of dollars."

 

I didn't know what Anita was up to but I'll play along. I held my hand out. "Hi."

 

Bert seemed torn. I've seen this look before. Anya had it every time the gang had to pillage the Magic Box for supplies. So I knew how to handle him.

 

"Mr. Vaughn, I look forward to working with you and learning what it takes to run a profitable business. I've heard that you were the shrewdest business man in the industry and I'm sure that you will be able to charge top dollar for my talents."

 

He blinked. "Ms. Summers would you mind giving Ms. Blake and I a moment?"

 

I nodded and moved to the other side of the room. I still wanted to be able to hear.

 

Bert pulled Anita aside. "You've seen her work?"

 

Anita nodded. "Bert, two days ago, she took out a psychopathic, ten foot werewolf hand to hand, armed only with a six inch stick of wood."

 

Bert looked back at me. I could see the dollar signs behind his pupils.

 

"She has the proper credentials?"

 

"That's where we have a little problem. They were lost in a fire. But I can guarantee that you won't find any kind of record on her ... anywhere."

 

"Anita?" He warned.

 

"Bert, don't tell me that you care."

 

He waved me back over. "Ms. Summers, I will take care of your credentials, but you don't get a salary until after your first assignment."

 

"Bert." Anita warned.

 

He gritted his teeth. "I'll give you a standard signing bonus of $5000."

 

"Bert." Anita warned again. "She's got an appointment at 'We Raise'um' in two hours and you know they don't give a shit about credentials."

 

"Fine $10,000, but no more. That is only on the condition of a three year contract and five year non-competition agreement. And it's your butt if things screw up, Anita."

 

I almost fell down. My knees were weak. $10,000 and I hadn't even lifted a stake, yet.

 

Anita motioned her head to the side, indicating for me to get out while the getting is good. I extended my hand. "Thanks, Mr. Vaughn. I won't let you down."

 

I stepped out to the waiting room while Anita and Bert continued their discussion.

 

The receptionist nodded at me. "I'm Mary. Welcome to Animator's Inc."

 

 

~*~Part Two~*~

 

I spent the next couple of hours at the office, getting the proper paperwork set up and signing form after form. Bert showed up at the end with a casher's check made out to me for ten grand. What am I supposed to do with ten grand?

 

Luckily I did have my California drivers license. I always carried it with me when I went slaying just in case I wound up on the wrong end of a vamp's fangs so the proper authorities could notify Dawn.

 

I didn't have a bank account so I went to the bank that Animators Inc. used and opened up a checking account. Apparently they like Bert and all of his employees. My guess is that he is a really big client. With the issuance of a bank card I almost felt normal.

 

I glanced at my watch and noticed it was 3:30 p.m. Richard had said school let out at that time and he would be home no later than an hour after. He didn't live that far away from the school, but he didn't know if he had any parent-teacher conferences, or last minute staff meetings afterwards.

 

A crack of thunder startled me out of my thoughts. I looked up and clouds were swirling in from the east and west forming a circular mass over St. Louis. It wasn't the thought of being caught in a rainstorm that bothered me. It was the itchy feeling at the nape of my neck I always get when something, not of this world, is about to happen.

 

**************

 

I felt the energies that surrounded me dissipate. I was momentarily dizzy and then the world reformed around me. The ground around me was blackened in a three foot radius. What had I done? I turned in place and saw the people looking at me. Some were turning and running, others looked like they weren't too friendly, including two police officers.

 

"Goddess, where am I?"

 

**************

 

I was just about to leave when Buffy came back into the office.

 

"Something's up."

 

I looked around to see if anyone was following her in. The coast was clear.

 

"Something? Can you be more specific?"

 

She looked a little perplexed.

 

"My spider-sense just went crazy when that storm cloud appeared."

 

I don't think I'll ever get used to hearing about Buffy's slayer talents and her little euphemisms for them.

 

"Spider-sense?"

 

She shut her eyes, I'm sure out of frustration.

 

"It's kind of like a slayer early warning system. It means that something is not right or some big bad is about to destroy the world type thing."

 

That can't be good. "Can your spider-sense be a little more specific?"

 

"It doesn't work like that. Usually it happens when I can actually do something about whatever it is that is going on." She was definitely frustrated.

 

Just then my pager went off. I checked the number. It was Dolph. Okay, now that's just weird.

 

I held my finger up and grabbed the phone. "Hold that thought."

 

The line rang once and Dolph answered. "Anita, I need you to consult on a case."

 

Dolph never played around with niceties. "I'll be down there in fifteen minutes."

 

With Buffy's alert and Dolph's page I didn't bother trying to find out what the case was about. I knew it had to be something bad. Dolph hung up without saying goodbye, as always and I grabbed my jacket off of the coat rack.

 

On the ride over to RPIT Buffy got increasingly quiet. It was if she was trying to listen to the world around her. If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that she were a cat surveying it's land; ready to pounce on any prey that moved.

 

You've been around the pard for way too long, Anita.

 

The drive was quicker than I thought. There was almost no traffic and we caught every green light. That in itself was grounds to suspect something supernatural. When we arrived at the police station I filled Buffy in on the rules.

 

"Cops are very suspicious of people they don't know, so stay next to me and try not to bring attention to yourself, okay."

 

She was too preoccupied with looking around I wasn't sure if she caught everything. "Buffy?"

 

"No attention, right. Let's go."

 

The busy room lived up to it's name this afternoon. Phones were ringing off their collective hooks and detectives were moving from desk to desk with definite purpose. Buffy looked around the room kind of wide eyed.

 

"Is it always this busy?"

 

I shook my head. "No." I spied Dolph at the door to his office speaking with Zerbrowski.

 

"Dolph!" I yelled above the noise which drew the attention of most of the detectives there.

 

Ever since word got out that I was dating the Master of the City, some of the regulars kinda laid low around me. There was a time when I was welcomed here and my name was called out in welcome.

 

It kind of hurt when I realized some of the regarded me as one of the monsters now.

 

Two people that weren't swayed were Dolph and Zerbrowski. Dolph, because I was who I was. He didn't put his trust in many people, but he knew that I would put my life on the line for his people and I deserved nothing less. Zerbrowski, because I once saved him from becoming were-chow. Katie, his wife, still wants me to come over for dinner every so often, but with my prior comments it makes it almost impossible.

 

Dolph waved me on and Buffy followed me through the maze of desks.

 

"Who's she?" Dolph asked.

 

"New vampire executioner in training." I turned to introduce the two. "Buffy Summers, Sgt. Dolph Storr."

 

Dolph nodded and Zerbrowski leered.

 

"Eyes back in your head, Zerbrowski."

 

Buffy got a strange look in her eye and turned her head, looking out amongst the crowd of people. Her hand grabbed my arm at the elbow. I've really got to tell her about my right arm and never to grab it.

 

"It's here, Anita."

 

Dolph got a concerned look on his face. "What's here, Ms. Summers."

 

I tried to cover for Buffy. No need in outting her slayerness to Dolph and the guys.

 

"She mildly psychic. She sensed danger earlier, right about the time you paged me."

 

Zerbrowski joined in. "Doesn't surprise me. About an hour ago everything in the city started to go ape-shit. We've been having preternatural crime after crime."

 

"And your trainee knows something about it?" Dolph added.

 

I shook my head. "She only sensed something was wrong, Dolph."

 

"Ms. Summers ... Ms. Summers."

 

***************

 

It was here, whatever it was. I scanned the entire room, but was coming up empty. That was until one of the side doors opened and a uniformed policewoman escorted a handcuffed short red-head through.

 

My face went blank and my jaw unhinged.

 

"Willow!" I screamed.

 

She looked up and a tooth filled smile opened across her pale features.

 

"Buffy!"

 

I started toward her but was held back by the pro-wrestler looking guy, Dolph.

 

"You don't want to do that, Sergeant."

 

"Buffy!" Anita snapped.

 

I looked at Anita. "That is my friend, Willow ... from back home." I tried to stress the word home.

 

Anita's eyes widened. "Dolph, I'll vouch for Buffy."

 

The detective really seemed to consider it for a moment and then released me. "Don't touch her, Ms. Summers."

 

I nodded and ran over to Willow. As I approached, I noticed something different about Willow. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but she looked tired. The kind of tired that took a long time and hard roads to acquire.

 

"Buffy, what are you doing here? You couldn't have found out I was arrested already. I haven't even made my phone call yet. And how did you get to St. Louis. How did you find out I was even in the states again?"

 

I laughed drunkenly and hugged her. "Oh, god , Willow, I've missed you!"

 

"Ms. Summers!" Came Sgt. Storr's voice from across the room.

 

I jumped back. "Oops, no touching, sorry."

 

Then I thought about it for a second. "Arrested, for what?"

 

Willow rolled her eyes. "Damage to city property. I burned the sidewalk."

 

Huh? "How do you burn concrete?" I looked at the officer filing the report.

 

"Your friend used magic to melt approximately twenty square feet of concrete, Ms. Summers. Now if you don't mind I have a report to fill out and a prisoner to escort to lock up since she can't pay fines and damages."

 

I looked down at the officer. "I'll pay. How much is it?"

 

The officer looked back up from his computer. "Uh ... lets see." He brought up a different screen. "That would be unlawful use of magic in the city limits: $1000, destruction of city property: $1000 ... "

 

I listened to charge after charge. "Can you bottom line it for me?"

 

"$3575, Ms. Summers. Or she can wait to be arraigned by the judge tomorrow morning and plead out."

 

I whipped out my checkbook. "Is a check okay?"

 

I paid the fine which took a healthy chunk out of my signing bonus, but it was my little Willow! She had to stay and go through the paperwork, but she would be going home with me!

 

I went back across the room to Anita and the waiting detectives. I was almost too bouncy to care about anything, now. Well maybe I should worry about why she was 'out of the states.' But right now I just didn't care.

 

I sat outside of Sgt. Storr's office for about thirty minutes until Anita was through. Then we collected Willow and left.

 

Out front I introduced my two friends. "Willow, this is Anita Blake, Anita, Willow Rosenberg, my best friend in the whole world."

 

Anita nodded and Willow nodded back.

 

"Richard's?"

 

It took a second to click on what she was talking about. "Uh, yeah." It felt weird that she was being cool about the whole Richard thing. We climbed into Anita's jeep and headed to the house. I couldn't wait to catch up with what was going on in Sunnydale.

 

~*~Part Three~*~

 

It was almost five o'clock when we finally arrived at Richard's house. His car was in the drive and I could see someone peeking from the front blinds. I remembered when Richard used to be worried about me. But now Buffy is here ...

 

The lithe blonde girl nearly jumped out of the jeep and ran to the opening front door to jump into the arms of her new lover. Richard was ear to ear with grins. I almost got back in the jeep and drove off. Get over it Anita, Richard has some one that isn't a monster. At least not yet.

 

Buffy's friend, Willow slowly walked up to the front porch. Buffy hopped up and down like a kid with a new toy presenting it for the first time at show-and-tell. I was only a few feet away when Richard acknowledged me with a nod of his head.

 

"Richard, this is my best friend, Willow. She's from Sunnydale too!"

 

The revelation was made apparent on his face. He was genuinely happy for his new love.

 

The introductions were cut short by a large crack of thunder, startling everyone to jump. Everyone, I noticed, except for Willow. I watched as she turned her head upward and glared at the sky.

 

Now I don't have a fear of storms, just tight spaces, but the back of my neck was getting itchy from the amount of static electricity in the air.

 

"Why don't we go inside."

 

Richard nodded and stepped out of the way gesturing for ladies first. He is always the gentleman. Of course I think gentleman is a euphemism for protector and I do my own protecting. Richard saw the look on my face and stepped in after Willow passed by; letting me keep my stubborn dignity. He only gets half a point since I'm not dating him anymore.

 

When I entered the house, the smell of garlic assaulted my nose. Buffy looked startled.

 

"You cook, too!"

 

He just smiled. Yeah, he knew what a turn on it was for a man to cook.

 

"Let me go put on some more pasta and sauce. Looks like four for dinner."

 

I started to protest, but I missed the little things that Richard used to do for me. I might as well live vicariously through Buffy.

 

"Richard, you mind if I used your phone?" I asked.

 

He looked back, on his way into the kitchen. "You know where it is."

 

Richard had two phones: one in the kitchen where I didn't want to be overheard, and one in the bedroom. I took the bedroom. When I entered, all I could smell was residue sex. Bastard! He knew what I would find. And he knew that with my newly acquired enhanced sense of smell, I would know what he and Buffy were doing last night, and what they would be doing tonight.

 

I turned around and started walking to the front door. I could feel it starting to creep up my spine and stretch it's arms around my body, the ardeur. Buffy saw the look on my face.

 

"Anita, what's wrong."

 

I couldn't concentrate, I needed to get home and quick. I would be damned if I would give Richard the satisfaction of seeing me squirm.

 

"Tell your boyfriend, he didn't have to flaunt it." And I was out the door.

 

**************

 

Okaaay.

 

Willow squinched her eyebrows together. "What was that all about?"

 

Then it finally occurred to me that we hadn't made the bed from the previous night. Oops. Right then the swinging door to the kitchen slammed open.

 

"Anita?"

 

I'd seen that look in his eyes before. Sex. Cherry's words came back to me from a couple of days ago about the sex thing that Anita is cursed with. Richard must have picked up on it. Man, that guy has a good nose.

 

"She's gone." I said.

 

His eyes went wide. "The bedroom!"

 

I nodded. "I'm sorry, Richard. I didn't make up the bed."

 

He looked down to me and his eyes softened at last. "It wasn't the bed, Buffy. It was the smell."

 

Willow chimed in. "The smell?"

 

"She doesn't know?"

 

I shook my head. "Willow just got here this afternoon. She doesn't know anything about this world, yet."

 

Willow tried to lighten the mood. "Except that you guys know about magic, and are really strict about it." Then she looked concerned. "Hold it, you said, this world?"

 

 

I sighed. "Wil, we aren't in our world anymore. This is some sort of alternate universe. Sunnydale doesn't even exist here."

 

Her face went paler than normal and she backed up until she bumped into a chair, sitting abruptly. "Goddess, what did I do?"

 

I almost laughed, Willow was known for spells that went horribly wrong. "Wil, it wasn't your fault. It was the portal, Glory's portal."

 

She looked suddenly alarmed. "She's alive? I thought ..."

 

I shook my head and tried to calm her down. "Willow, Glory's not here. When I jumped off the tower and into the portal I wound up here; just outside of St. Louis."

 

Everything I said just made it worse.

 

"But ... but ... you died ... and we brought you back, and that ... that was over a year ago when Glory died."

 

Now it was my turn to look stunned. "Huh?"

 

"When did you come here Buffy?"

 

I didn't even need to think about that one. "Just a few days ago. When I jumped through the portal."

 

Willow visibly calmed. "Buffy, that was over a year ago."

 

Now I had to sit. That couldn't be, could it? I know time was shifted between this world and that, but it was only a few months, wasn't it?

 

She continued. "That would explain why your hair is still long. You didn't have time to grow it back out."

 

Richard decided to get in on the conversation. "You said that Buffy died. You actually saw a body?"

 

Willow nodded. "Yeah, she was buried and everything. Then at the end of September Xander, Dawn, Tara, Anya, and I brought you back."

 

Richard tried to clear the cobwebs out of his head. "Brought her back ... you mean as a zombie?"

 

Willow was shocked. "Goddess, no! She had died by magical means, an unnatural death. Because of that we could reverse the damage done and return her soul to our dimension."

 

She paused and closed her eyes. "We thought she had been sent to a hell dimension, but, " her sorrowful eyes opened and looked at me, "you were in heaven. We pulled you out of heaven and back into our hell."

 

I could tell the wounds were still fresh, but I couldn't relate to being in that position. "Willow, I'm here. As far as I know, I came directly here."

 

Richard placed his hand on my shoulder. "Then who?"

 

"Another Buffy from another dimension. One that did die." Willow surmised.

 

 

~*~Part Four~*~

 

"I did what?" Buffy almost spit out her fettuccini.

 

"You slept with Spike."

 

"I so did not."

 

"I was there, or I mean I saw the look on your face when we caught Spike and Anya doing it on the video feed to the Magic Box."

 

"Hold it! Spike and Anya did it also? What happened to Xander?"

 

I sighed. This wasn't coming out right. "Xander left Anya at the alter and Spike and Anya did it out of ... uh ... it was kind of a drunken thing."

 

Richard nodded like he understood. Then he noticed Buffy rolling her eyes.

 

"What? I don't condone what they did, but I understand how it could have happened."

 

Richard didn't realize he was just digging his grave deeper and deeper. I couldn't believe that Buffy had been here less than a week and she had this Adonis of a man squirming.

 

"Buffy ... Tara's dead."

 

That pretty much stopped any game playing between the two. I watched the play of emotions on her face, from shock to comforting all in the span of ten seconds.

 

"Willow ... I ..."

 

I held my hand up. It had taken the last three and a half months trying to get over her death. I have spent a lot of time in counseling. I was just getting back to functioning mode and into controlling my magic when this universe hopping thingamabob happened.

 

"I'm over it ... well not over it over it, but I'm dealing."

 

"How?" She asked.

 

"Well a doctor has been helping."

 

She shook her head. "I mean how did Tara die?"

 

"She was shot."

 

"Oh god, Willow. I'm so sorry."

 

Confession time. "Buffy, I went a little nuts. Magic nuts. I hurt a lot of people and I've been working with Giles to control the magic. When Tara died, I wanted revenge. I went way beyond anything I have ever tried before and it took control of me."

 

I breathed deep and often like the counselors taught me.

 

"The magic is a part of me now. I can't go cold turkey and not use it. I tried. Over the summer I've been in England, working with Giles and a Wiccan coven trying to learn how to channel my aggression and use it in ways ... yanno ... not bad."

 

She laid a comforting hand on mine. "Are you okay, Wil?"

 

I nodded my head. "I think I have it down, but it's a day to day thing."

 

She smiled softly.

 

"I was on my way back to Sunnydale. I used a teleport spell that the Wicca's taught me. I know I performed it correctly. Elsa and I went over it a hundred times."

 

Buffy was a bit confused. "Elsa was my Wicca mentor. Anyway I know I did it right. Something must have interfered with the spell. It's the only thing I can think of."

 

***************

 

"You're a werewolf?"

 

I laughed. "We don't know yet. But Sunday is the full moon. We'll find out then."

 

She turned to Richard. "And you are like the boss werewolf?"

 

Richard nodded.

 

"I dated a werewolf once." Willow confessed as she was cutting open an apple.

 

Richard smiled. "Buffy said something about that. What was she like?"

 

Willow laughed. "Oz was a he. I wasn't always gay."

 

"Oh."

 

"Oz was ... it was really nice at first then ... yanno ... he tried to eat me. I've had trust issues ever since. Ouch!"

 

A drop of blood hit the table in front of Willow.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

She nodded. "Yeah, I've had paper cuts that were worse." She sucked on the cut gingerly.

 

Willow left out the part about Varuca, and Oz's betrayal, but I guess that story is for another time.

 

"Well, I promise not to eat Buffy. " Richard reassured her.

 

I nearly choked on my wine and Willow smiled. Richard turned red.

 

"Too late?" Willow teased.

 

"Willow!" I admonished.

 

"Sorry, side effects from the dark side." She smirked.

 

Willow had definitely come out of the closet in more ways than one. Even with all that had happened to her, with all of the death and mayhem, she had grown very sure of herself. Most people would have just crawled deeper, back into their shell, but Willow's life seem to bring out the woman I knew was there from the moment we met.

 

*****************

 

"Ma petite, what is bothering you so?"

 

Okay, traffic was a bitch and I couldn't wait until I got to Micah and Nathaniel. Not that Jean-Claude was my second choice, but I just wanted a warm body to snuggle into after the scene at Richard's. Jean-Claude is warm on occasion; usually right after he's fed.

 

"Richard just pisses me off."

 

"Oui."

 

 

He's playing it close to the chest tonight. Jean-Claude knows I'm angry, so he acts one of two ways. Either he taunts and makes me more pissed off or he just says 'oui.' Like that is supposed to make me feel better.

 

"He just flaunts getting laid last night right in my face. It's like he's saying 'I'm over you Anita.'"

 

"And you do not wish him to be?"

 

That brought me to attention. How long was the relationship morning period supposed to last? More than one damn month, that's for sure.

 

"I don't know what I wish."

 

Jean-Claude stroked my hair as we laid in bed, my face resting against his perfectly toned chest. I traced the cross-shaped scar marring otherwise flawless skin.

 

"You wish your cake and eat it too."

 

I nodded. "Yes ... no! He can do what he damn well pleases."

 

Laughter filled the air and the warm velvet feeling ran down my spine. I used to hate it when he did that little trick, but I've found it comforting at times.

 

"Then why does his relationship with Ms. Summers bother you so, ma patite?"

 

I started to tell him, but a familiar sensation came to mind.

 

Jean-Claude moved the blood red silk sheet aside. "Dress yourself, ma patite, Asher comes."

 

I made a quick dash for the bathroom to get dressed when I heard a soft knocking at the bedroom door. Jean-Claude invited him in and all I could hear was soft but incessant whispering.

 

Once I had dressed I stepped out into the room, adjusting the inner-pants holster for the Firestar.

 

"Something up?"

 

Jean-Claude's face was ripe with concern. This is something that nobody sees. He has spent centuries learning to hide his true emotions. Spending a hundred years under the thumb of a council member will make you learn or make you insane.

 

"Something is amiss, Anita."

 

Uh oh. He only uses my first name when he is very serious. I looked at Asher.

 

"What happened?"

 

Jean-Claude's face returned to the emotionless facade that he was known for. "It seems as if the dead of St. Louis have risen."

 

I was at a loss. "What is that supposed to mean?"

 

"Exactly as I have said, Anita. All of the dead in the St. Louis area has risen from their collective graves."

 

*****************

 

"Buffy!" Richard called from the living room.

 

I sat the last of the dishes in the sink and stepped through the swinging door.

 

"Something wrong?"

 

He pointed to the television. "I was going to check on the weather for Sunday."

 

Willow came out of the kitchen and we both looked at what Richard was pointing at.

 

"Authorities are saying to stay in your homes and lock your windows and doors. Do not, I repeat do not try to restrain the zombies at risk to your own life."

 

What?

 

"To recap the events of the last half hour. The city of St. Louis is under siege by creatures of the undead. Traffic has come to a standstill around the city as armies of zombies rise from their graves. Steve, back to you in the studio."

 

"Mary Ellen, do the zombies seem to have a purpose or are they wandering aimlessly?"

 

"Steve, strangely enough they seem to be heading northwest, out of the city limits. Their final destination is unknown."

 

Something clicked. "Richard, aren't we northwest of the city?"

 

He nodded.

 

Willow turned and ran to a window, pulling the curtain aside and raising the blinds.

 

"Goddess!"

 

 

~*~Part Five~*~

 

I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Only four blocks from the Circus we were stopped dead in traffic ... no pun intended. Hundreds of zombies filled the intersection. Some were crawling over cars, others pushed past people on the street. They were totally oblivious to their surroundings. Something was drawing them towards the northwest and I didn't have a clue as to what it was.

 

Jean-Claude rocked in his seat as I pulled up on the sidewalk.

 

"I told you to put on your seatbelt, but nooo."

 

I looked around and found a side alley I could cut through to take us around the crowd. Asher and Damien sat quietly in the back seat. Yeah, Damien decided to tag along. He thought I might be in danger, and there is nothing like a thousand year old Viking vampire guarding your back.

 

It gets kinda creepy having your own vampire servant. It's a necromancer's version of a vampire's human servant. Damien is bound forever to me. All a vampire has to do is give a human four marks. They are usually given in ritual feeding with Jean-Claude and me it was usually sex or some variant. I only hold three of Jean-Claude's marks. Damien holds all four of mine.

 

I truly did not intend to mark him, but unbeknownst to everyone involved I had done so. The first time the triumvirate was formed I made Damien rise from his coffin without his soul, the second, I pinned his soul to his body in order to save his life. The third, he risked a horrible rotting death to save Nathaniel. I let him drink from me to heal. Each mark brought him closer and closer to me.

 

At that point he said that he would follow me through the gates of hell, not because he felt it was his duty, but because he desired to be with me and there was nothing he wouldn't do. The forth mark, was given when I brought him back from the brink of insanity after being separated from me for over eight months and locked in a cross covered coffin for most of that time.

 

The only question I asked Jean-Claude was what the heck was I going to do with a vampire servant. He just laughed. Bastard.

 

We were able to make it almost three miles before we were stopped again. The closest grave yard was over three miles away. These guys are moving fast.

 

*****************

 

I very low guttural growl escaped Richard's lips. I got nervous.

 

"Richard can these things be killed?"

 

He looked at me. His eyes were changing color turning feral yellow. When he answered me it was in a different voice. Almost like he had swallowed a pint of honey.

 

"Their already dead, Buffy."

 

"Great." I got determined. "So what can stop them."

 

His concentration was being broken. As long as I was talking to him he seemed to be easing back to human mode.

 

"A really big blender would be nice. Just pop them in and hit puree."

 

Willow turned her head and wrinkled her brow in disgust. "Eeeww."

 

Richard continued. "Buffy, you just can't fight zombies. If you cut off his arms and legs they would move independently of the body."

 

"Well, we have to do something."

 

Willow turned back to the window. "They're headed this way.”

 

Richard shook his head. "I just don't know why someone would do this do us."

 

Willow tried to get a better look down the street to se how many more were coming.

 

"Wait a minute. They didn't rise on their own?"

 

"Of course not." Richard answered. "A necromancer would have had to call them from their grave. But even Anita isn't this powerful. It would take several human sacrifices to raise this many zombies, much less control them."

 

Willow stepped away from the window. "So they can be controlled? Maybe I could turn some of them back."

 

Off in the distance a screech of tires could be heard. I didn't know if Willow was strong enough to do what she was saying, but if I can't kill them without an industrial sized blender then I'm at a loss.

 

**************

 

"Have you ever seen Anita perform this ritual?" I asked. If I had a chance at all of stopping these zombies I had to have something to work with, even if it is just a second hand account.

 

He nodded.

 

"Tell me about it quick."

 

He suddenly got very apprehensive. "She ... uh ... called them accidentally when we ..."

 

Buffy was almost at her whit's end. "Richard! Hurry!"

 

He huffed. "It was a sex thing. Jean-Claude, me and Anita."

 

Buffy was struck speechless. "Richard!" Okay almost speechless.

 

"Buffy, it's what brings the ... no ... it was blood, power and blood." He seemed to have an epiphany. "The sex brought the power and then Anita said she needed blood to finish the ritual ... Jean-Claude bit me."

 

"Richard!"

 

"Well I wasn't going to let him bite my girlfriend!"

 

I looked over my shoulder. The zombies should have been knocking down the door long ago. Then the most amazing thing happened. They had stopped. The windows of the living room were almost blacked out by the bodies, standing there, looking.

 

"They stopped."

 

Well at least this will give us a little bit of time.

 

"No offense Willow, but I am not having sex with you and Richard while this is going on ... I mean ... you know what I mean."

 

Richard's head snapped back to the kitchen. He frowned. "Anita and Jean-Claude are here."

 

Buffy looked at the kitchen door. "How can you smell them that quick?"

 

"I didn't smell them. I can feel them."

 

The kitchen door swung open and Anita led the way. "Who called them?"

 

A man with dark, curly, shoulder-length hair followed but stopped at the door. I assume it was Jean-Claude that they were talking about. Anita sounded a little bit bossy, like she was in charge of the situation.

 

Richard answered. "Nobody called them. I just turned on the news and zombies are running amuck."

 

Anita wasn't satisfied. "Nobody is this powerful, short of a demon."

 

I think she realized that her buddies weren't following her in the room. She turned. "Jean-Claude."

 

He held on to the door frame seemingly for support. "She must halt this ritual, Anita." He looked at Anita. "You cannot feel her power?"

 

Anita turned to me and concentrated for a second. Her eyes went wide. "Oh my ... you did this."

 

***************

 

The moment I dropped my mental shields her power washed over me like a thousand volt current.

 

"I didn't do anything. We just got through with dinner and ... " She backed up. "The apple!"

 

She looked at her hand and held up her index finger. There was a small cut at the tip. A paper cut! Impossible! I once raised and entire graveyard but that was after the death of two people. She animated the corpses of an entire city off of a paper cut and no ritual?

 

"I am not having sex with you."

 

Huh? "What?"

 

"Richard said ... "

 

If the situation wasn't so serious I would have laughed, but instead I set about for a solution.

 

"We need to lay them back to their graves, Willow. I can help you."

 

I can act as a channel for one or more animators. It is normally used to enhance our powers, but in this case control is the keyword. Willow was a necromancer of the highest order and she didn't have a clue as to her power.

 

"Let me see your hand."

 

She looked at Buffy. "I'm not going to hurt you. We're going to do this together. I'll lead you. But first, " I slid one of my knives from it's wrist sheath, "we need blood."

 

I slid the knife carefully across my palm. Blood welled in my hand. I gave the knife to Willow. "You do the same."

 

She looked a little apprehensive, but complied.

 

"Now just repeat after me ... Richard the door."

 

Richard opened the door. When he did, the doorway was filled with decayed bodies. I grabbed the bleeding hand of Willow and felt as her energies filled my body. Screams filled the air and I was pretty sure they were my own.

 

"Te ... tell them ... to return ..."

 

When she spoke I pushed the power out and away from us.

 

"Return to your graves! Return and rest! Return and be at peace!"

 

Willows voice echoed off of the walls and into the zombies. They stopped their approach. I watched as their bodies shuddered and they finally turned around, presumably returning to their eternal rest.

 

 

~*~Part Six~*~

 

Richard pulled Buffy into his embrace. I was happy for my closest friend. Finally, a semi-normal relationship ... well normal for her anyway. At least Richard was a junior high teacher and not covertly working for a government agency or goddess forbid another vampire.

 

I sat on the nearest chair holding the wound on my hand closed. I watched as the rest of the gathering crowd went about like busy bees. The breath caught in my throat when I saw the next person that walked into the room. He was a few inches taller than I was. Shoulder length golden blonde hair fell across half of his perfect face.

 

What is it about this world? Is every guy straight off of a Harlequin cover?

 

"Mon ami, would you see to the wound of the newest animator to our fair city."

 

The blonde sized me up. I know he did. Almost like I was going to bite him and he would bite back if I did.

 

"Monsieur Zeeman, do you possess a first aid kit?"

 

Mmm, French. I saw Richard head into his bedroom. Buffy knelt by my side checking the wound.

 

"Willow, this is deep."

 

Richard returned swiftly carrying a large case which he sat on the coffee table and opened. My eyes went back to the blonde. Something struck me as odd. It was like he was playing to the shadows or more to the point the shadows were playing for him.

 

I could not get a good look at his entire face. Every time he moved, either his hair or a shadow would fall on the right side. After he found the supplies he needed he came and knelt on my right, again his right side was away from me.

 

His left eye met mine. "I am Asher."

 

I gulped. "Willow."

 

"Mon arbre rouge de saule. How apt."

 

I held my hand to him and he examined the wound.

 

"Jean-Claude la blessure doit être remis à l'état initial ou bien elle ne guérira pas correctement."

 

Buffy looked at the person at Anita's side. "What did he say."

 

"Mon ami, font ce que vous devez. Faites ce que votre coeur vous indique faire." He spoke to Asher then turned to me. "Asher said that the wound would not heal properly in it's present state. There would be a very bad scar."

 

"Oh,"

 

Buffy looked at both of them. "That wasn't all."

 

"Jean-Claude gave me advice. That is all." Asher said harshly.

 

I wasn't too sure I liked the tone in those last words. In fact I'm sure I don't want this person working on my hand. I started to pull back.

 

"Non. Please, mon arbre rouge de saule ... Willow. I meant no offence to you."

 

I heard Anita whispered something to Jean-Claude, but I couldn't make it out.

 

"Richard, do you have some coffee ready." Anita asked.

 

Richard looked at Anita like she had grown a second head. "I don't drink coffee."

 

"And yet I still dated you. We need to get out of the room so Asher can take care of Willow. Not everyone likes bloodsuckers and creatures of the night staring when they get stitches. This is my way of giving you a subtle hint."

 

Buffy giggled. Richard rolled his eyes and took the hint, Buffy squeezed my other hand for reassurance and joined him. Anita and Jean-Claude followed.

 

I was suddenly uneasy.

 

Asher unscrewed a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. "This will hurt."

 

I closed my hand and pulled it back. I don't like pain. He held the bottle in the air, struggling with something, some inner turmoil. it wasn't very apparent on his face, but I've learned about inner turmoil over the last few months. I know what to look for, because it's what I see every morning in the mirror.

 

"Look at me." I said flatly.

 

His bright blue eye turned upward to mine.

 

"No, I mean look at me. What is it that you are hiding."

 

He shrugged nonchalantly and brushed aside his metallic golden locks. Okay, I wasn't really ready for what I saw, so I stopped breathing. It wasn't a gasp; more of a cessation of movement. The right side of his face was scared more than any burn victim I had ever seen. It was as if someone had dripped candle wax on his face, acidic candle wax. The scars ran from his hairline to his jaw, missing the nose and his neck.

 

I had done some volunteer work back when I was a freshman in high school. It was in the children's ward of Sunnydale Memorial Hospital. I had seen chemical burn victims before. The wound was similar to that type, but different. I couldn't put my finger on what I was missing.

 

I knew he was waiting for a reaction. They all do. They expect a person to be repelled in horror or to be pitied. Both are equally bad in the eyes of the victim. I gave him something different. Apathy, and a shrug.

 

"You are not shocked?" He asked.

 

"I've seen a lot worse."

 

He pulled back. "You speak the truth."

 

I smiled. "Do you know where I'm from?"

 

He shook his head. "Non."

 

“I fought my first demon when I was fifteen years old. A vampire that killed one of my best friends. Well I really didn't fight it, Buffy fought it, but I've been at it for a very long time.”

 

"You are a vampire executioner?"

 

I didn't know what that was.

 

"I fight evil, along with Buffy. Where we are from there are demons, vampires, and a lot of other things. Some are good, but most are evil."

 

He nodded. "It is much the same here."

 

"I have seen a lot, Asher."

 

He seemed to relax.

 

"Willow, I am a vampire."

 

The dots finally connected. "Holy water!"

 

He nodded.

 

"I'm sorry."

 

"It was a long time ago."

 

I searched his eyes. "And you still carry the scars in more ways than one."

 

Asher's body language changed again. He wanted to change the subject. "I may be able to aide in the healing of your hand, but ..."

 

"Do what you need to do. I think I can trust you. You have kind eyes."

 

He laughed. Oh goddess, he laughed and nerves tingled throughout my body. Remember, you're gay, Willow.

 

He took my hand in his. "This may feel ... different. I need to reopen the wound and set it properly for the stitches. I will not hurt you."

 

I nodded and watched as he brought the palm of my hand to his mouth. At first his eyes were on task, but before he proceeded they met mine again and the world started spinning away.

 

I felt his mouth on my palm, his tongue slowly tasking along the wound. A rush of cool wind ran up my arm and across my body. Oh ... my. I felt him probe deeper and unhurried, stretching the experience out. The coolness reached deep into my center and was met by something inside me.

 

That something came out and joined with his, pushing back out and down my arm. My world righted and I saw him stiffen; his eyes wide and un-expecting. I felt on fire and cool at the same time. It was hard to concentrate. The room spun on it's axis and I fell back onto the chair, a small squeak escaping from my lips.

 

Then everything exploded in my mind. The floodgates were open. Everything that I was, opened to Asher I felt my life replayed in seconds or eons, I couldn't tell which.

 

And I saw him; the Asher he was before and the person he became after. I saw his love for Jean-Claude and Anita ... and his resentment. But most of all I felt the capability of his love and the depth of his pain.

 

Burst after burst of energy, cold waves crashing over us again and again until I thought I couldn't take it anymore. And I screamed.

 

****************

 

"Get him off of her or I'll stake him right now!"

 

Jean-Claude grabbed hold of my shoulder. "Non, do nothing. If you interfere it could cause them greater harm."

 

I watched as my friend's hand was being sucked on. Helpless. Her eyes were glassed over and she was shaking, but it didn't seem to be in a bad way. I just didn't like the way she screamed.

 

Another second and it was over. Asher fell over and started laughing like kid in a candy shop. The glazed look left Willow's eyes a look I hadn't seen since ...

 

"Willow? Are you okay."

 

Her eyes followed the sound of my voice. "Anyone have a cigarette?" she breathed.

 

Asher continued laughing, but even harder.

 

 

~*~Part Seven~*~

 

 

(Anita)

 

Buffy stood with her hands on her hips. "Anyone want to tell me what just happened.

 

I shrugged. "My guess is that Asher just got drunk on Willow's power. Jean-Claude?"

 

"Oui ma petite, it would be akin to what we experienced with the first taste of the triumvirate." He paused. "I have no doubt that the experience was quite unexpected."

 

Asher's laughter had finally diminished. He sat up thoughtfully and stared at the little red witch. There was something I noticed about his posture that seemed a little off. He wasn't hiding his scarring. Then a second thing popped out at me.

 

He wasn't scarred!

 

Jean-Claude noticed it at the same time I did. "Mon ami, your face!"

 

It wasn't often that Jean-Claude lost his ice cool facade. Living a hundred years as one of the council's flunkies made you cover your true feelings or they would be used against you. But, this was one of two things that had stood in the way of their friendship; that, and the death of Julianna.

 

Julianna was Asher's human servant as well as the third of a menage a troi including Jean-Claude. When Jean-Claude was off visiting his dieing mother, Asher and Julianna had been captured by the Church. She was burned at the stake for being a witch and Asher was subjected to spiritual and physical cleansing via holy water ... one drop at a time.

 

Jean-Claude returned to the rescue, but he had time only to save Asher.

 

With the advent of modern medicine Asher had been to see a few plastic surgeons possibly to find a way to repair the scaring. He would never have the perfect skin of his youth, but the scarring could be lessened in normal humans so why not vampires?

 

I guess it's a moot point, now.

 

He reached up and felt the right side of his face. Jean-Claude fell to his knees and just starred. I thought I was going to cry. The scarring had been a constant reminder of Julianna and that awful day. Now it was gone.

 

The look on his face was sweet astonishment. His eyes were still on Willow and hers on his. The sweet smile of contentment remained on her face. I didn't see Asher's movement as much as I felt his body speed past mine to Willow's feet.

 

Willow wasn't startled in the slightest. It was if she knew Asher meant her no harm and expected him to do just as he did.

 

He held her uninjured hand in his and pulled it to his chest. I watched as Willow was embraced and then softly kissed. Her eyes closed and she drank him in. My chest hurt that Asher was kissing someone other than me, but it was a good kind of hurt.

 

He finally pulled back and Willow's eyes fluttered open.

 

"Thank you for your gift, mon ché rie."

 

And he was off. The front door opened and he was gone.

 

****************

 

(Willow)

 

"Wow." I sighed.

 

Buffy looked a little perplexed. "He was scarred? What was it ... a wicked knife scar or something?"

 

Jean-Claude guffawed. "Indeed. A knife to his very soul."

 

I was more than stunned of the last few minutes. I had no idea how we healed him, nor of what, exactly, it was that I did.

 

"What happened?"

 

Anita sat across from me on the couch. "Did you know that you were a necromancer?"

 

My brow furrowed. "I'm a Wicca."

 

She shook her head. "Not just a Wicca, Willow. A full-blown, true-black, necromancer."

 

"But ..."

 

She held up her hand. "No buts. I'm a necromancer myself and I know healing magic when I see it. The only thing that could have possibly healed a vampire with scars such as those would be a necromancer of extraordinary powers, Willow."

 

"But ..."

 

"Our power is over the dead. Vampire's, whether they want to believe it or not," she looked up at Jean-Claude, "are dead."

 

Jean-Claude held a hand to his chest. "Oh ma petite, you wound me."

 

She shrugged.

 

"What's a necromancer?" Buffy asked.

 

"I guess I am. But I thought ... oh." I forgot.

 

Buffy looked concerned. "That didn't sound like a good 'oh.'"

 

"Buffy, remember when I told you I went a little nuts when Tara ..."

 

She nodded.

 

"Well I went down to the Magic Box and ..."

 

I really hate confessions.

 

"I sucked it dry."

 

Anita didn't get what I was saying. "You sucked a box dry of what?"

 

Buffy took over. "The Magic Box is a magic shop that my watcher, Giles owned. It's where we held our strategy sessions and it also held all of the magic supplies that we ... oh!"

 

Now Anita seemed to be a little frustrated. "Enough with the ominous oh's."

 

I owned up. "Some of the things at the shop were talismans, potions, and magical texts."

 

She still didn't get it.

 

"Black magic texts."

 

"And?"

 

I rolled my eyes. "I sucked them dry. I pulled every ounce of black magic that was in them, into me. Enough to destroy Warren. Enough to rip the skin from his body after I tortured him almost to death. He had to die for his crime."

 

"Willow." Buffy was fairly shocked.

 

"No, Buffy. Let me finish. I went hunting the other two and you tried to stop me ... the other you. But I was too strong. Giles came and I nearly killed him, stealing all of his borrowed magic. But you and Giles had given the other two enough time to get away. I had to do something I had to have my revenge." I gave the mandatory dramatic pause. "I had to stop my pain and there was not enough revenge in the universe to satisfy me ... I tried to destroy the world."

 

Buffy was blank faced. "But you didn't."

 

"Xander stopped me."

 

She smiled. "Xander finally got to save the world all by himself."

 

Richard handed me a tissue. I hadn't realized I was crying.

 

"Then Giles took you to England?"

 

I nodded as I wiped my nose.

 

"How did I ... my other self take it?"

 

I blinked. "We really hadn't had a chance to talk about it. She seemed to feel sorry for me ... kinda like you're doing right now."

 

I was feeling worried and ashamed at what I had done. And not because I was sorry. Well I was sorry about the whole sucking the world into hell thing, but not for what I did to Warren. I still think he deserved everything I did to him, and I would have done more if the gang hadn't been hot on my trail. Does that make me bad?

 

Does wanting someone to pay for destroying my life evil? Is that why I am here. Have I been banished by the powers that be to this world to atone for my sins? Or was I just too evil for that world that I had to be imprisoned here and live in a world where monsters are commonplace. Am I one of the monsters now?

 

Am I home?

 

*****************

 

(Buffy)

 

Oh Willow. What are we going to do now? You've killed a human being. Will you turn into Faith? Maybe that's why you are here; to give me a second chance to help one of my friends. I failed with Faith and now I have to make sure you have a chance to make it good.

 

"Willow."

 

Her eyes had gone red remembering Tara's death and her ultimate downfall. But she met my eyes none-the-same.

 

"Do you remember what I told everyone before we left the Magic Box to stop Glory?"

 

She looked thoughtful. "Something like 'if we try to kill Dawn then you'd kill us.'"

 

I nodded. "I meant it."

 

The look on her face said she understood. I was willing to take a life to protect someone I loved more than anything else in the world. How could I expect her not to when the person she loved was murdered right before her eyes.

 

"Wils, it's not my job to judge. I'm just supposed to be your friend, and love you."

 

She hopped out of the chair and threw her arms around my neck. "I love you, Buffy!"

 

Then as an afterthought I added, "I'm still not going to have sex with you."

 

 

~*~Part Eight~*~

 

(Anita)

 

We spent the better part of an hour coming off of the early evening's events. Jean-Claude had found Asher in front of Richard's house pacing back and forth. They had stayed out there talking the entire time. Eventually I found some coffee still stashed in the recesses of Richard's freezer. It was an emergency supply that I had left here almost a year ago.

 

It was instant, and probably wouldn't be that good. There is no such thing as a bad cup of coffee, just degrees of good. Willow, Buffy and I partook; Richard had tea.

 

My ex-lover, ex-boyfriend, ex-fiancée, ex-whatever, tried not to flaunt his growing relationship with Buffy, but I could still see the signs. The extended glance, the more than casual touch he held whenever he passed her. Stop it, Anita! You're even annoying yourself with the sad-sack routine.

 

Willow brought me out of my trance. "So maybe I could work with you and Anita? At least until I find a way back home for both of us."

 

Buffy looked a little startled. My guess is that she had resigned herself to live here for quite a long while. I don't think that she would have gotten involved with Richard if she thought that she would have a way back home.

 

I could see the momentary thoughts of excitement and sorrow of having to leave. Richard didn't even blink an eye. He was the ultimate Boy Scout; always thinking of others before himself. If there was a way for Buffy to go home he would let her. No guilt trip needed.

 

Willow just noticed the lapse of happiness. "You do want to go home, don't you, Buffy?"

 

The self-described slayer stood and walked into the kitchen without so much as a word. Richard followed seconds later.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

Home. Home? Where is my home? Is it a year in future with the Scooby gang? In a world that a different form of me now exists? I resigned my soul to the afterlife only a few days ago only to wind up on the outskirts of St. Louis.

 

I was tortured enough living day after day on the Hellmouth. I could start fresh here, with Richard. Granted he's the king werewolf, but no relationship is perfect.

 

I felt warm arms wrap around from behind me. Speak of the devil.

 

"Buffy," he whispered in my ear, "I know that we've only been together a couple of days, but ..."

 

I didn't let him finish. "I'm not leaving, Richard."

 

His arms released me. "Buffy, I can't expect you to sacrifice this for me."

 

I gave him a lopsided grin. "Quite full of ourselves tonight aren't we?"

 

His lips separated just enough to leave him a little slack-jawed. "I didn't ..."

 

"I'm kidding."

 

I grabbed a handful of flannel and pulled him down to my waiting lips. I was hungry and I wanted to feed on his insecurities, his passion and his lips. He wrapped me up in his arms, pushing his body on mine. Letting me feel his desire, which was considerably, trust me. The heat was incredible.

 

I pulled away and raised my hand to his forehead in concern. "Richard, you're burning up!"

 

He chuckled. "The full moon is Sunday night, Buffy. By then my base temperature will reach over 101."

 

My face relaxed and changed to a sly grin. "So when Willow said that you were hot, she wasn't exaggerating."

 

Can a werewolf blush? You betcha! So in response he tried to steer the subject back to me.

 

"Are you sure about staying here?"

 

My serious face went on. "Richard, from what Willow says, I'm there already. There is a slayer of my caliber there to protect and love my sister. That is more than I could ever ask for. For all intents and purposes it is me. " I thought back to the relationship with Spike. "A skankier older me that is having a fling with yet another vampire, but me none-the-same."

 

He didn't say anything.

 

"If I go back now, I'll have to have it out with myself and none of my friends and especially not Dawn need that after the year that they have had.

"Maybe if Willow does find a way back, I could go visit."

 

Then a thought occurred to me that maybe he doesn't want me to stay. Maybe he still has a thing for Anita. I think he picked up on my thought.

 

"You'd have to bring me with you."

 

 

(Willow)

 

I caught Anita's eyes as they glanced to the kitchen for the hundredth time in the last minute.

 

"You think they're okay in there?" I asked.

 

She rubbed hands together. "Oh, they're more than fine."

 

What's that supposed to mean? "Being a necromancer gives you X-Ray vision?"

 

"Not exactly. Richard and I are linked, well Jean-Claude too."

 

"Linked?"

 

"We are part of a triumvirate of power." Then she raised her voice much louder and directed it behind her. "If we aren't careful with our shields, then we know what's going on in the kitchen."

 

I heard a loud thunk from the kitchen and the crash of a glass. Anita's eyes cleared a little. "There, that's better."

 

The door swung open and Richard stepped out, looking a little flustered and carrying a large cup of something rather low in front of his ... oh my ... Bad Buffy!

 

Anita snickered. "Give it up, Richard."

 

I felt the heat rise to my face. Mind you I am not a prude ... far from it. But in the kitchen where anyone, me, could have walked in on them!

 

Buffy exited moments later. "Richard you forgot the chips."

 

She saw the looks on our faces and turned her head to Richard. "Busted?"

 

He nodded.

 

"I guess I'm staying, Wils."

 

Staying? "But?"

 

She handed the chips to Richard and kept her distance. "I have my reasons. Strongest of which is that I don't belong in your world now. I died that day defending my sister and you guys and the rest of the world. It may sound selfish but I want a little something just for me."

 

I nodded. Nobody had to remind me of her death. We had the funeral and the private burial to prove it. Then I went and ripped a different Buffy from her rightful place in heaven, etcetera, ad nauseam.

 

If this is what Buffy wanted then I wouldn't stand in her way. I didn't have any right to. "What will you do?"

 

She finally came over and knelt by the chair. "I'll live, Willow," she smiled, "I'll be happy, like I was before. I've already got a nice job, and there are other perks."

 

Her grin turned lascivious. I glanced over to Richard. I'll bet.

 

"And if everything goes wrong, as usual, in two more nights I'll be furry."

 

I had forgotten.

 

"Buffy, you know that there's a good chance that you won't ... slayer constitution and all."

 

She thought about it for a second. "The powers might work different here. I don't remember you ever raising a thousand plus zombies in Sunnydale."

 

I nodded. "True enough. I seem to be just as powerful here, but in a different way. I think all of the black magic I absorbed has changed me. And in more ways than one."

 

Her head tilted questioningly.

 

"In our world, necromancy has long been thought of as the darkest of black magic ... evil magic. But here it seems to be accepted as any other magic. It can be used for good or bad."

 

I saw Anita nodding out of the corner of my eye.

 

"In our world, Buffy, I was uncontrollable. I was just living day by day trying not to let the darkness control me."

 

I looked around. Not just at the interior of the house but at the world around me. "Here I feel ... I don't know ..."

 

Anita offered a suggestion. "Normal?"

 

I suppressed a giggle. "Not exactly."

 

She sat forward on the edge of her seat. "Willow, when I was a young girl I accidentally called forth a dead pet. When I was in college I accidentally called forth a dead person. If you don't learn to control your powers what happened tonight will be commonplace.

 

"You have to use your power or it will leak out in the community around you. And I'm not talking about raising a couple of people a night."

 

My eyes widened a bit.

 

"Animating is my real job."

 

Huh? "You do this for a living?"

 

She smiled. "It's not as morbid as it sounds. I raise people that have forgotten to sign wills, to be witnesses, to help counsel people, any number of different, useful reasons. Not just to freak people out."

 

I've got a lot to learn. "This is a really weird place."

 

Buffy laughed. "Wait 'till you meet the wereleopards."

 

"Leopards?"

 

 

~*~Part Nine~*~

 

(Buffy)

 

Saturday flew by. I had paid Anita back her loan and still had a considerable amount left over. Willow, Richard and I spent most of the day on a whirlwind clothes buying spree. Willow insisted on only a few things to get buy until she figured out what she wanted to do.

 

Richard also insisted on her staying with us until she either got on her financial feet or went home. That kinda curtailed any late night playing in the bedroom. However with the full moon so close, Richard hadn't wanted to risk injuring me. I thought he was kidding until he told me about one of his pack and her honeymoon experiences.

 

It seems that she and her new husband waited until their wedding night to break their virginity together. She was a were and he was human, and once it came time for the climax of their lovemaking she shifted. The end result wasn't pretty. Richard blames himself. Apparently the pack has what amounts to a sex counselor for those members that stray into human tastes for companionship.

 

There was a time where a couple would perform for the first time in front of the pack, just in case. I don't even want to think about doing it with a crowd watching. I've had visions of half formed creatures of the night dripping saliva while I'm doggie style with Richard riding. (shudder)

 

Yes, my demented brain has us doing it doggie style. I guess it figures, what, with Richard being a wolf and all. AAAUUUuuuuu.

 

By Saturday night I felt nauseated and feverish. My temperature was a hundred degrees. I don't remember the last time I was flu sick. Maybe before I was called to the wonderfulness of slayerdom. I just don't remember.

 

Richard laid me down to bed early and went to make me some chicken soup. Willow stayed and held my hand. "How are you feeling?"

 

I sighed. "I guess weird would really cut it."

 

I almost got sick when I smelled the soup being cooked. "I don't think I'm very hungry."

 

 

She grinned and stroked my hair. "Let us take care of you. You just lay here and get better."

 

I nodded and closed my eyes for a moment to get my bearings. Why is it when you get sick the room seems to revolve? The feeling left as soon as it came and I opened my eyes.

 

I saw Willow tense and gasp.

 

Richard stepped through the doorway and stopped. "Willow, take this and get out, quick!"

 

"But ... "

 

I didn't understand.

 

"NOW!" He almost screamed.

 

I felt a rush of power fill the room. It was warm and strong. Something in me started to respond to the power. My stomach lurched and the queasiness was gone, replaced by what I could only describe as a clawing sensation. Like something was trapped inside me trying to fight it's way out.

 

Willow grabbed the tray and took one last look back as she left the room. She looked like she was going to say something, but Richard slammed the door and locked it behind her.

 

"Buffy, you have to calm down. Push it back inside. It's not time yet."

 

I felt the hair on the nape of my neck stand on end. I was definitely spooked.

 

"Richard ... what's happening?"

 

Something else took over my senses. I could pick up a scent in the air. It was fear and softness. Except it wasn't coming from Richard. I could almost taste the air around me. The scent was Willow. The shampoo of her hair and the lite mist of perfume she tested at one of the department stores. The one scent I could pick out most of all was her fear ... and I liked it.

 

"Willow." I growled low in my throat. "I'm hungry."

 

"Buffy, NO!" Richard commanded.

 

A slap of power hit me across the face, and I whimpered. But it did more than made me cower. It made me mad. I didn't realize when I had gotten on all fours on the bed, my head down on the comforter, hiding from Richard's dominance. I was in perfect position.

 

"Don't." He warned.

 

I ignored his command and leaped from the mattress, through the canopy, and on top of Richard. He expected the lunge and turned to the side at the last second, throwing me against the wall. I didn't feel the impact. Instead I leaped again and tackled him to the ground.

 

"Buffy!" Willow sounded from just outside the door.

 

Richard was distracted by the sound of Willow's voice. "Get out of the house, Willow! She's Changing!"

 

I could almost taste her on my tongue. The sweet wetness of her red hair flowing in my fingers. Her pale skin shimmering with the flow of blood as I sank my teeth in her neck. My head snapped back and I screamed.

 

"Buffy, give me your beast."

 

"FUCK YOU, RICHARD!"

 

He wrestled me to the floor and held me there. Both of my wrists were struggling in the grip of his one hand.

 

"Not yet, Buffy. Not until tomorrow. The full moon is tomorrow. You can't change until then. Now give me your beast!"

 

The clawing inside my stomach spread throughout my body. My skin was itching with the intensity of fire. I had to get out, it had to get out!

 

Richard kissed me then. His tongue probed my mouth and his lips crushed mine. It was hard and I wanted it hard. I wanted out of this skin. I did battle with his tongue until I felt him go deeper into my mouth. Then I bit him.

 

He jerked back, shocked. Just shocked enough for me to get one hand loose and rake his chest with my claws. Blood welled up in the wounds and I was transfixed by the sight. Energy surged through me and I pushed with every ounce of strength I had.

 

Richard flew. It wasn't graceful, but I was free. Free to take him.

 

I crouched low and moved sideways to a more open part of the room. Richard was lightning quick, up on his feet again while I stayed low. I was small and quick. He'd have to catch me if he wanted me.

 

Another wash of power hit me head on. It was like moving through molasses. The air had thinned out or I couldn't take enough in, because I couldn't breathe. Then it hit me, something low in my body being called upon. A yearning that had to be fulfilled, more than hunger, more than blood.

 

"Buffy?" He warned.

 

I leaped again, but I was wise to his dodging maneuver and caught him this time, tackling him to the ground. My body was too small to hold him, and that thought exited from my mind as soon as my head was even with his chest.

 

My mouth lit upon the claw marks I'd made.

 

"Richard," I gasped, "I need it, Richard. Please."

 

Hands grasped his belt and I couldn't get the damn thing undone. Instead I tore at his jeans, ripping the fabric until he grabbed me by the shoulders. Oh, gods, yes!

 

He lifted me to my feet and turned me around holding my arms by my side. I laughed aloud knowing what was to come. "Fuck me, Richard. Fuck me!"

 

He pulled me into his body and his hand encircled my throat. Overheated breath was at my ear. "Open your eyes, Buffy. NOW!"

 

I did as he wanted and saw the bureau mirror across from us. My hair was mussed, and my body was coated in sweat, but the most amazing thing I saw were the yellow of my eyes. Richard's eyes closed and he was still for a moment. I was too shocked to move.

 

Then the feeling started to subside. The clawing creature eased back to my center and my eyes slid back to their normal hazel green. All of the energy dropped out of me and I swooned at the effect. All I remember after that was being laid back in bed.

 

~*~

 

I slept restlessly. My dreams were filled with visions of the forest and running through it. Trees passed me by like blurs of light. Only one thought was flowing in my head and that was to feed. I caught the scent of meat, living meat just ahead of me and I leapt.

 

The small doe didn't stand a chance against my strength and speed. It cried out as my teeth sank into it's neck. Blood spurted to the back of my throat and it was warm and good.

 

My eyes traveled skyward and I caught sight of the moon. It was perfectly formed and whole.

 

"Buffy."

 

My eyes snapped open and I felt Richard spooning me from behind.

 

"Are you okay?"

 

I hadn't realized I was almost panting. I nodded. But I lied. I could still taste the deer's blood in the back of my throat. The thing I was most shocked about the dream was ... I craved it.

 

"I need a shower." I announced.

 

His arm pulled away from my body and I tried to step quickly but calmly to the bathroom.

 

I frowned at my image in the mirror. My chemise was torn in three places. It was so much wasted material now. I lifted it up over my head and tossed it in the small waste basket underneath the sink. I checked my eyes in the mirror. They were still the same hazel-green.

 

Maybe it was all just a bad dream.

 

Then how could I explain the torn chemise ... an over-aggressive lover? Nope. Making love with Richard was definitely something I would remember, especially the day after. There would be a certain amount of soreness. Not that I have had a lot of experience in this area.

 

I have only had three lovers. I guess Angel and Parker were normal sized, and Riley ... well Riley was an underachiever, but he had a talented mouth. Now Richard, he was ... wow. Okay I can officially say that size does matter. Sorry guys, but once you've had Hickory Farmsä summer sausage, Armorä hot dogs just doesn't cut it.

 

You had to mention food, Buffy.

 

Now I'm starving to death, but I stank. Okay, quick shower then big breakfast.

 

A soft knock came at the door. "Buffy? You okay in there?"

 

I smiled and turned on the shower then I went to open the door. I don't think Richard is used to having a naked woman in the house. I just sighed and pouted slightly.

 

"I'm not going to be able to scrub my back. Do you think you can help me?"

 

Judging by his reaction I'd count that as a big yes ... a real big yes.

 

Oh yes.

 

 

~*~Part Ten~*~

 

(Anita)

 

Yanno, it wasn't so long ago when I didn't have to crawl over people in my bed to get to where I was going. I really needed to put the phone on Nathaniel's side of the bed. Micah wasn't a morning person and was kinda gruffy when dealing with early callers. Granted I wasn't much better, but I trusted Nathaniel to be my social and business secretary.

 

Micah copped a feel when I wormed over. I knew there was a reason I put the phone there. With one hand I smacked him with the other I picked up the receiver.

 

"Hello."

 

"Anita, it's me."

 

Richard.

 

"What happened now, Richard?"

 

I had the feeling he wasn't in the joking mood this morning.

 

"Can you come to the lupinar tonight?"

 

"I was going to be kitty-sitting tonight, Richard."

 

Silence.

 

"I wouldn't ask you if it wasn't important."

 

After knowing Richard for all of this time I knew when he was trying to avoid saying something.

 

"Spit it out, Richard."

 

More silence then he spilled.

 

"Anita, I'm going to take Buffy as my lupa tonight. If you aren't there to quell any opposition and give up the title willingly then there might be blood spilled."

 

Oh.

 

He continued. "After the incident at Narcissus in Chains, you pretty much have an overwhelming impact on the pack. I don't want there to be fights for dominance tonight over something this ... "

 

"Trivial?" I smacked.

 

"I was going to say important." He sighed. "Anita, do you want bloodshed?"

 

Oh, my poor little Boy Scout. Richard are you always going to be this naive?

 

"You can't fight her fights, Richard."

 

He chuckled softly. "It's not her I'm worried about. You've seen her fight. She could kill a shape shifter while she was only human, hand to hand. Can you imagine what she'll be like with the added strength and agility of a were?"

 

I honestly hadn't until now.

 

"Anita, she almost shifted last night, and I could barely contain her." His voice lowered to a whisper. "I don't want her to lose control tonight and kill somebody ... it would break her."

 

No, my friend, it would break you. I think that was his biggest fear. He finally found someone that could truly take care of herself and now he was afraid of her turning into a monster, like him.

 

"Do you want to be lupa that bad, Anita?"

 

"No." I said softly.

 

"Then you'll be there, tonight?"

 

"Yes." Even softer.

 

More silence.

 

He offered his condolences. "I'm sorry."

 

I didn't bother saying anything and just hung up the phone.

 

Micah pulled me into his arms and soothed me. I know with his enhanced hearing that he had followed everything that was said, but he didn't say a word. He knew my heart was broken; that Richard had finally moved on and I was crushed.

 

I know it wasn't fair that I had men coming out of the woodwork and I expected him to always be there for me. In my heart I knew he would always be there as a friend but it would never be more than that now.

 

I had convinced myself that he needed someone human to keep himself grounded. So he could lead a semi-normal life. In the end it had to be just the opposite. He had to have a person that could understand his furry side and the only way that could happen is if they themselves were furry.

 

Now it was a certainty that Buffy was going to change. She was officially becoming a werewolf tonight and in turn, lupa. She was going to take my place as protector of the pack.

 

It just wasn't fair. Life wasn't fair.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

Richard suggested I dress down for today; not to wear anything that I didn't want ruined, just in case I shifted early. I still find it hard to believe that I went five years plus, living on top of the Hellmouth without getting some weird kind of demonic disease, and I'm here less than a week and poof, wolf-girl.

 

From what Richard told me, clothes kinda rip, shred, and get covered with were-goop when they change. I didn't really relish running around like a big furball without clothes. A girl's got to have her modesty. That's why I chose some workout clothes. Spandex, God's gift for the conscientious werewolf. I went with black shorts and a sport midriff. And just to tease Richard, no undies. Heh.

 

Willow almost coughed up her Capt. Crunch when I walked into the kitchen. Her eyes ran the length of my body. You know, I never did figure out when she decided to switch sides, sexually speaking. I don't know how many times we had spent the night with each other, half clad in our undies.

 

I mean, I know she was faithful with Tara. One thing about Willow is her ability to keep her mind and devotion to one person. Uh, okay there was the one time with Xander when she was dating Oz, but she was Miss nervous and uncomfortable all of the time, so that doesn't count. Really.

 

I am totally confidant that she harbored no naughty feelings for me when she was with Tara.

 

Sniff. What's that smell?

 

Willow went back to eating her cereal and leaned her head on her hand, kinda blocking the view of me.

 

I saw Richard in the corner of the kitchen hanging up the phone, looking a little somber. That is until he saw me. His eyes got all smoky. What is it about being totally nude in the bathroom and having to be sultry and sexy to get what you want, but just slip on a few tight fitting clothes and all of the sudden you are eroto-babe?

 

Richard's eyes flickered from me to Willow and when they set on her he smirked.

 

"What's for breakfast?"

 

"It's fend for yourself morning at the Zeeman household." Richard opened the pantry door. "We've got Pop-Tarts, Oatmeal, cereal. Then you could go with ..."

 

"I'll take Pop-Tarts."

 

He nodded. "A girl after my own heart. I have brown-sugar cinnamon or frosted strawberry."

 

Yes it's domestic bliss.

 

Breakfast aside. "So can Willow come with us tonight?"

 

Richard shook his head. "I don't think it would be wise. You are the only person that will be shifting for the first time, but during the full moon our baser instincts take over. The alpha's can pretty much hold their own and control their beast's."

 

"But?" I offered.

 

"But, there will be a lot of death magic called tonight. Anita will call the munin and with Willow's newfound talent and lack of control at this time ..."

 

Willow got a little interested. "What's a munin?"

 

"They are the spirits of dead pack members that when called upon can relate knowledge and sometimes power to the wielder of the munin. Anita has used them to heal a number of times."

 

Willow almost bounced. "Cool, are they like all ghosty and stuff?"

 

"No, they tend to possess the wielder until the ritual is over. They're called each full moon usually before we shift."

 

That was kinda cool I guess; remembering your fallen predecessors and all. But I had a question.

 

"You said Anita can do this munanu thing. Is she the only one?"

 

Richard chuckled. "Munin. And no, she not the only one, but it is not a common gift. Usually a vargamor or the pack's wise man or woman does the honors, however they aren't common in packs now-a-days. All it really takes is someone that is psychically gifted or a witch to do the job."

 

Willow bounced again and raised her hand. "Oh, I'm a witch!"

 

"And a very talented one." Richard added.

 

She preened.

 

"But you still can't come."

 

She pouted.

 

"Maybe next month Wils."

 

She nodded somberly and I hugged her close. Everyone needs a hug now and then.

 

"Hey I'm feeling left out." Richard announced.

 

I let go of Willow and stood up on my tiptoes to give my boyfriend a kiss. His left hand went to the small of my back and his right around the back of my neck, cradling my head softly. I could almost feel Willow's eyes on us and ended the kiss a little early.

 

Sniff. What the heck was that smell?

 

 

~*~Part Eleven~*~

 

(Buffy)

 

"Here, put these on."

 

I took the black wrap around Oakley's and held them up. "Thanks, not really my style ..."

 

"They'll help just in case you get emotional in public. Any strong emotion will trigger a change in eye color on the day of the full moon." He explained.

 

"Ah."

 

Can't have the locals knowing I'll be going loony tunes in their forest tonight, now can I?

 

Willow hopped in the back seat of Richard's car and I took the passenger seat. I need to look into getting a driver's license for this state.

 

Willow put on her seatbelt and leaned forward to get Richard's attention. "Richard, I have a question for you. If everyone in the world already knows about things that go bump in the night, then why do you have to hide?"

 

He started the car and backed out of the driveway. Only after he put the transmission into drive did he answer the question.

 

"You've had first hand experience on how contagious lycanthropy is. Can you imagine eating a meal at a restaurant that is were owned, or being operated on by a doctor, or have your children being taught by a lycanthrope?"

 

"'Nuff said." She relaxed back into her seat. "Doesn't seem fair. It's not like you were looking to get infected ... were you?"

 

He looked at Willow in the rearview mirror. "I was given a bad batch of lycanthropy serum. It was supposed to protect me from accidental infection."

 

"Yea for science." Sarcasm dripped from her lips.

 

I put my hand on Richard's muscular thigh and he tensed up underneath my grip. Apparently it was a touchy subject with him.

 

"Are you still angry about it?" I asked.

 

He relaxed. "In a way, finding out I was a werewolf was the worst day of my life, but there are certain advantages."

 

That made me feel a little chipper. "Like meeting me!"

 

He got a bit thoughtful. "Which reminds me. Did anyone tell you about dominance issues and leadership roles within the pack?"

 

I nodded. "Anita and Cherry told me a little bit."

 

He smiled. "Wereleopard is a bit different, but the analogies are the same."

 

It looked like we were headed into the city.

 

"I have a very strong suspicion that you will be an alpha."

 

"That's good, right?" I answered.

 

"Sorta. It has its pitfalls, like fights for dominance. There will be certain people that will try to pit their wills against you. In the pack, the strongest and most cunning are in charge. If anyone thinks that you wont back up your words with actions then you'll have a fight on your hands."

 

I nodded, understanding. "Nothing new. I fight every day."

 

"Buffy, these will be our people. The only fight that is to the death is the fight for Ulfric. And even then it's not a necessity, but often the case. When someone challenges, it's basically a dangerous game of uncle."

 

I seemed to be getting a weird vibe. "Richard, is there something that you want me to do?"

 

"I don't want you to kill anyone unless it's absolutely necessary."

 

I was a bit shocked to say the least. "Have I given you the impression that I was going on a rampage?"

 

He closed his eyes and shook his head, which wasn't a good thing since he was driving. "No, that's not what I meant. It's just ... with your slayer powers and your newfound were powers ... well ... "

 

I nodded. "I might not know my own strength."

 

"Right. And when I announce that you will be lupa tonight I just want you to be prepared."

 

Huh? "Lupa? I thought Anita ..."

 

"Anita will be giving up the position at the lupanar tonight."

 

"Wow." Willow said.

 

"Richard, I'm not ... I don't know ... I ..."

 

He squeezed my hand reassuringly. "I will teach you everything you need to know."

 

"But ..."

 

"Lupa is basically another word for Ulfric's girlfriend, but there is a sexual connotation behind it. If I am with you, I cannot be with Anita."

 

"Oh."

 

He seemed to be getting a little nervous. "You are my girlfriend?"

 

I snickered. "I hope so. I'd hate for word to get around that I'm boinking you and not be your girl."

 

What the heck am I getting myself into.

 

I finally recognized the area of town that we were driving into. It was the blood district. Home to many vampire clubs, strip bars, and general naughty places to be.

 

"Richard, what are we doing here?"

 

He looked back to Willow. "I wanted Willow to be safe tonight, since we won't be around to keep an eye out. I thought Asher might be a good host considering their connection last night."

 

Sniff. There's that smell again.

 

"Is that okay with you, Willow."

 

I looked back. She seemed to be running on nervous energy all of the sudden. "Uh huh."

 

I tried to confirm that it was okay. "Are you sure, Willow."

 

She smiled and nodded her head. "Oh yeah."

 

"I called ahead and made arrangements with Arturo. He's one of the bartenders at Guilty Pleasures. Apparently Willow is quite the celebrity already. They will make sure she comes to no harm tonight."

 

Then he looked in the mirror again. "They said Asher will join you soon after sundown."

 

I don't know if I liked the idea of leaving my best friend in the clutches of a gang of blood-thirsty vampires, but if Richard vouched for them I guess I will have to deal. It's either that or have Willow stay by herself in a strange house with a newfound power in a city teaming with magic, undead, and other nasties ... vampires is good, definitely.

 

 

(Willow)

 

You're gay, Willow!

 

No thinking of the bad girl thoughts with a vampire that you barely know. Ha! That was a joke. I probably know him better than most of his vamp buddies, thanks to the Vulcan mind meld that we shared.

 

How does that make you feel?

 

What is this, 'witch heal thyself'?

 

Look around Red. Do you see any Wicca psychologists hanging around in this world?

 

Fine, but don't call me Red.

 

Why not? Do you think it has anything to do with your self-comparison to Faith.

 

I am not Faith.

 

She was Buffy's friend and she went bad ... you were Buffy's friend and ...

 

Shut up. And I still am Buffy's friend.

 

And which Buffy would that be, hmm. The Alternate dimension Buffy that you sucked out of Heaven to serve your selfish needs on the Hellmouth or the Buffy that gave her life, twice, to save you and your so-called friends. And here you are, screwing up her life again.

 

I didn't come here on purpose. I didn't mean to interfere. I didn't even know she was here! How did I get on this subject anyway? I was supposed to be thinking about Asher.

 

You mean 'thinking about *doing* Asher.'

 

Would that be so bad?

 

I thought you were GAY, Willow!

 

I can't be both?

 

Tell you what, why don't you just go into that bar and give him a quickie blow job. That way you can get it out of your system and get back to mourning your dead girlfriend.

 

Stop it.

 

Or even better, go in there and drop your skirt, bend over and grab your ankles, and let him give you the high hard one. Do it right. Screw Tara, she couldn't give head to save her life anyway.

 

STOP IT!

 

Who are you telling to stop it? It's your thoughts. You are arguing with yourself.

 

"Willow?"

 

Quit being whiney Willow and get over yourself. Face up to your broken mind and be who you are suppose to be!

 

"Willow, are you okay?"

 

You should have killed them all. They stopped you from getting your revenge! Warren was too easy. It wasn't even a cat and mouse game. Just slapped him around a couple of times and ripped his skin from his body. You call that revenge. They KILLED YOUR TARA!

 

"STOP IT!!!""

 

 

(Buffy)

 

I could taste the sheer anger in the air, radiating from Willow.

 

"Willow, are you okay?"

 

Richard stopped the car and turned quickly around in his seat. Every muscle in his body was tense, ready for anything. His power washed over me making the air thick.

 

"What's happening to her?" He growled.

 

I couldn't tell what was going on. She was just sitting there, staring out the front. Her eyes were glassy and unfocused. Something was wrong. It didn't seem like my Willow at all. Her hair seemed darker, still red but a darker, auburn shade.

 

"STOP IT!!!"

 

I jumped back against the door. Richard twitched visibly. And her eyes focused once again. I'm sure she was aware of herself once more. Her body slumped to the side.

 

I unfastened my seatbelt and was out the door to the back seat as fast as I could get there. When I opened the door her body shifted and would have fallen out if not for her seatbelt. I lifted her back up and cradled her head.

 

"Willow ... Willow ... say something, Willow!"

 

All energy seemed to be drained from her body. She lay limp in my hands.

 

"Richard!" I cried.

 

He was turned around and hanging over the seat. "Buffy calm down. Listen ... listen."

 

I took a deep breath and willed my heart to stop beating so fast. Okay Buffy, you're in battle mode. Stop, look, and listen.

 

"What am I listening for, Richard."

 

Our eyes met. "Stop thinking slayer and think wolf."

 

Think wolf? I'm not a ... shit! Okay, wolf, you're the wolf, you're the wolf. After a second it came to me: scents, tastes, sounds ... heartbeats. Mine, Richard's, and Willow's, all strong. Power was ebbing away from Richard. When it was low enough I could feel Willow's. It was like I had been in the heat of the sun for hours, sweating away my life and then I walked into a air conditioned house. Refreshing.

 

"She'll be okay, Buffy. We need to get her to Guilty Pleasures and into bed. She needs rest now."

 

I lifted her body and scooted in beside her. "You'll be okay, Wil. You'll be okay."

 

 

Was I reassuring her or me?

 

 

~*~Part Twelve~*~

 

(Buffy)

 

"I can't just leave her here!"

 

"Buffy, in about three hours it is going to very difficult not to eat your friend here." Richard was trying to be logical.

 

Since when was it okay to be logical? "But ... "

 

"No buts. When that full moon rises you will transform into a wolf and since it is your first time you will be disoriented, hungry, and possibly savage." His voice lowered a bit after that. "Are you sure you want to be around Willow when that happens."

 

Dammit. "No."

 

"This is one of the most well guarded places in the city. I know first hand." He held out an open palm to me. "She will be safe. Jean-Claude knows what will happen if anything bad were to occur."

 

"Indeed, mon ami."

 

I looked up at the vampire that entered the room. He nodded in my direction.

 

"Asher and I will protect her with our lives. She has given us a gift that cannot be repaid."

 

I finally understood. She took Asher's scars away. I never got a chance to actually see them, but Willow had said they were pretty bad. I guess that gives them incentive enough to make sure she's okay.

 

I didn't notice when Richard stiffened. He was eyeing Jean-Claude with something like a predatory gaze.

 

"Richard?"

 

Jean-Claude leaned against the door frame with utter ease; like he knew nothing would happen. "Monsieur Zeeman, has forgotten that our little spat is over. He has a new love and should no longer concern himself with matters of the flesh where others are concerned."

 

Richard blinked and then looked at me. "You're right."

 

He gave me a reassuring smile and relaxed his posture. I turned to Willow, who was laying peacefully on black satin sheets, asleep. My hand brushed away a lock of hair that laid across her cheek and I leaned in a kissed her forehead.

 

"I'll be back in the morning." I whispered. "Be safe."

 

 

(Anita)

 

Sundown was approaching and the full moon would be up two hours after. I didn't want to be here when that happened. I've been around a lupanar when major shifting occurred. It wound up with me being chased by a hundred horny werewolves until Richard fucked me. Not that I'm complaining; it was one of the hottest moments in my life. However, I'm just not one to go into heat and die with desire to screw anything that moves.

 

I looked at my watch for the hundredth time and back up into the eyes of Sylvie.

 

"He'll be here. Relax Anita, you're making me jumpy."

 

The last of the sun disappeared from the horizon when I saw his car coming around the bend in the road.

 

"It's about time."

 

Sylvie laughed. "You'd think you had to be somewhere. What's the big announcement anyway."

 

I shook my head. "Not my secret to tell, Sylvie."

 

The car pulled up and the engine died.

 

I heard a small gasp when Buffy got out of the car.

 

"Who's the cutie?" Whispered Sylvie.

 

As dry as I could make it an not sound sarcastic, I said, "My replacement."

 

I think that hit on more than one level. "What?"

 

I turned around and headed through the trees to the lupanar.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

I stood by the car and watched as Richard took off his red flannel shirt. You don't know how many times I've held back a lumberjack joke today. Instead I just turned into a quivering pile of jelly as I watched his muscles ripple under his skin.

 

He was just barely on the good side of too muscled. He still had body fat, which was a good thing. The trunk popped open and I almost jumped. I didn't think I was starring that hard at him. A smile, almost indescribable, crossed his face; like he knew I was watching his every move.

 

I took off the sunglasses he had given me and tossed them into the front seat. I was ready. He was almost ready. His boots followed the shirt into the trunk and then it closed.

 

My tongue snaked out to rub against my lower lip; just enough to moisten it for my good luck kiss. I had read him well. He took two long strides and wrapped me up in his arms, crushing his lips against mine. My eyes closed and I felt my body go limp in response. I knew I was safe and loved in those arms.

 

The heat from his breath filled my mouth. I could taste his desire in every movement of my body. I know he could taste mine. My hands roamed his chest and moved lower over his rippling abdominal muscles. I was about to go lower and take him right here against the car but he pulled away and looked into the forest.

 

That's when I felt it. My body came alive. Prickling energy danced along my skin. My senses went into overdrive, and I had an overwhelming urge to run into the heart of the forest. I gasped.

 

"The call." Richard said, somewhere in the distance.

 

I looked back into his eyes as they met mine. They were feral yellow as I knew mine were by the expression on his face. I almost laughed at my excitement. I didn't know what it was like being supernatural like this. Being a were. And if this is only the beginning of what I am feeling then I think I'm going to like this ... a lot.

 

Richard grabbed my hand and ran. We entered the tree line at a full sprint and the forest gave way at our entrance. Trees moved, limbs bent and creatures of the night ran screaming at our approach.

 

Even with my slayer powers I don't think I have ever run this fast at night. Granted I have excellent night vision for a human, but I could see everything. We leaped over fallen trees without a thought; blurring passed something or someone in the darkness that I somehow knew was were.

 

I noticed light in the distance; flickering torches or campfires. I knew that was our destination and I let go of Richard's hand, running on my own. He had a much longer stride than I did, but I kept pace with him. I felt somewhere deep inside that I could run faster if I needed to and that almost scared me ... in a good way.

 

Seconds later we stopped, almost as if a puppeteer had pulled our strings. All eyes were on us. Oh my god. There were hundreds of them.

 

Richard looked at me and laid a hand on my shoulder. "Stay here and just watch until I call you."

 

You didn't have to tell me twice.

 

I watched as he walked into the semi-circle formed by dozens of bodies; some standing, others sprawled out on the ground, waiting. Intermixed with the deceivingly human bodies were a few pony sized wolves. The weak ones that weren't strong enough to hold the change off.

 

A handful of apparently strong-willed scantly clad people walked up to Richard and bushed their face against his, nuzzling his neck and smelling his hair.

 

I felt a jealousy pang in the pit of my stomach and I wanted to run forward and tear their collective throats out for being fresh with my man, but I held back. He would call me soon ... please make it soon. My hands shook and my arms tensed. It actually hurt to be away from him, even for this short a period of time. Watching as others got to touch him when I could not.

 

The last of the small group finished what could only have been a greeting, after I thought about it. I could breathe again.

 

Richard made his way over to a gigantic rock chair, or the more I looked at it ... a throne. Well why not? He was king of the werewolves, wasn't he? He sat and looked around until he found what he was searching for. Anita.

 

She wore her knives and guns where everyone could see them. Her face was stone and blank; her eyes cold. I still wasn't sure this is what she wanted, but I knew she would do the right thing with respect Richard's wishes.

 

Anita approached the center of the lupanar and held her hands up to be heard. I had thought the area was silent, but even the sounds of the woods calmed at her approach.

 

"I am here tonight to ... to ..."

 

She swayed a little and her eyes half closed. I think that every person in the vicinity tensed; knowing what was happening before I knew.

 

"I am Lupa. I am the all-mother ... no more."

 

A general feeling of shock ran through the lupanar followed by a few muttered comments and gasps of negativity.

 

Anita turned in a circle until she faced me. We were fifty feet apart, and I had an uncontrollable urge to throw my hands up in defense. "Your Ulfric has a new bitch."

 

The woman standing by Richard's side spat. "Raina. Leave us be. This is no concern of yours."

 

Richard held up his hand. "Let it be, Sylvie. Buffy."

 

I took this as my cue and approached. I was never one for public speaking. Mainly because I tend to get all tongue tied. So I let my body language speak for itself. My shoulders laid back and my head was held high.

 

"This is Buffy Summers. Tonight she will become Lukoi, she will become pack, she will be my Lupa."

 

"NO!"

 

My head snapped to the right and I saw several women standing. One of which I recognized as Sonja, the overzealous girl who challenged me only a few days ago. She was trying to hold someone back. A friend I guess.

 

Her friend was the one who spoke out. "Ulfric, you have not auditioned the willing members of the pack. She is not Alpha, she hasn't even shifted yet. She is not Lukoi."

 

Richard expected this. "You doubt my word Michelle? She will shift tonight, and she does not have to be Alpha to be my Lupa."

 

I couldn't take it any longer. "I'm Alpha enough to kick her butt."

 

"Buffy, no."

 

"Richard, I'm going to have to prove myself sooner or later. So lets make this simple. Which one of you is the most Alpha?"

 

Michelle snorted. "That would be the Ulfric, human bitch."

 

My hands went to my hips and my head tilted to the side. "I've already proven myself to him." I made my gaze a little lecherous. "I've taken everything that he can dish out. It's the rest of you non-believers that need your ass kicked."

 

Her eyes glowed yellow. "Are you challenging me, human?"

 

I laughed. "You're the best?"

 

Sonja pulled Michelle back. "Chelle, no. Don't."

 

Michelle turned angrily to her friend. "You're afraid of her?"

 

Sonja looked at me and back to her friend. "She hurt me, Chelle. She's dominant to me."

 

Voices murmured.

 

"And to me as well. I was there. It was a fair challenge, hand to hand, no knives. And that was before Buffy was infected."

 

Who was that? Jason.

 

He continued. "Just accept it, Chelle. Missy, Hyde, Claudius, a lot of people were there."

 

Anita made herself known again. "Chelle, I thought Sonja was yours to protect?"

 

Something didn't seem right with Anita. And why did Richard call her Raina? Her body language was totally different. It spoke of sex and more sex.

 

Richard was on his feet. "Anita, get control of Raina!"

 

Anita turned to the voice. "She would, Richard, but her feelings are too close to my own."

 

I was starting to grow tired of the unwitty banter. "Is anyone going to fight or are we going to let the topic rest?"

 

Michelle didn't look convinced. "You are not dominant to me, Fluffy."

 

That froze me in my place.

 

My eyes narrowed. "Michelle, I'm going to let you in on something. My mother gave me that name. I love my mother. Don't ever disrespect her again."

 

I thought I handled that well. I didn't yell.

 

"I challenge you."

 

I was expecting that phrase, but not from the person who said it.

 

"We've been through this Sonja." I replied.

 

She was scared and worse than that she was angry. I had the advantage before by being an unknown. Richard intervened.

 

"Sonja, you cannot challenge the same person under the same moon."

 

Michelle didn't like the idea either. "Sonja you are mine to protect, like the true Lupa said. It is my fight."

 

Enough. "Are we going to yap all night. I've got a date in an hour and a half to turn furry. How about I take both of you on and that settles all matters, deal?"

 

That brought more than a few yells and cat calls from the crowd.

 

Michelle laughed. "You are joking."

 

I closed the distance between us. "I never joke about your blood."

 

"Buffy!"

 

 

Richard again.

 

"I won't kill them, Richard ... just make'um beg a little."

 

I turned and walked to the rock throne, but I before I got two steps I turned back. "No cheating now, Sonja. Wait till we're face to face before you jump on me this time."

 

Her face glowed crimson. Apparently is was either cowardly or a sign of lack of self-control. I was guessing both.

 

A huddle formed around the throne.

 

Jason leaned in. "Are you insane?"

 

Sylvie nodded. "Michelle is a good fighter. She doesn't suffer from a strong moral sense."

 

"Does that mean she fights dirty?" I asked.

 

Richard grabbed my hand. "Very. You don't have to do this, Buffy. Just challenge Michelle and ignore Sonja. It's much safer."

 

I nodded. "But I'll still have to prove myself time and again. If I take out both of them it will keep the nonsense fighting to a minimum. Everyone will respect that I can take on two were's right?"

 

"Buffy, I've never heard of this type of challenge. A lot of us have taken on more than one opponent in battle, but not in the challenge circle. Are you sure you can do this?"

 

I smiled. "It's the one on one fights that I have trouble with, Richard. Groups are no problem. I can throw a third in if it makes you feel better."

 

All three of them almost screamed. "NO!"

 

 

~*~Chapter Thirteen~*~

 

(Anita)

Who would have thought she would be stupid enough to take on two lycanthropes. I could feel Raina nearly salivating with the possibilities. The only thing she liked more than sex was violence and if she could have the two together, well then ...

 

I knew Richard was pissed with me. But what the hell, when isn't he pissed. I followed the training I have been studying for the last year. Just let the munin have it's turn and eventually it will move on. Except letting Raina have her turn in my body usually means someone has to get hurt. This time it was Buffy's turn.

 

Their huddle broke up and Buffy turned around facing Michelle and Sonja. Even without the change upon them I could see everyone's hackles were up. Nervous energy suffused the air; fear and power were quite intoxicating.

 

"Any rules I should be aware of?" Buffy asked to nobody in particular.

 

Richard was too nervous to sound anything but fearful of his new mate. I felt an internal spit at that thought. I guess Raina didn't like the thought of Buffy being Lupa either. Instead, Sylvie spoke loud enough for everyone to hear.

 

"The choice is yours, Buffy. You were challenged. You have the choice of a fight to: yield, unconsciousness, or death."

 

Buffy smiled. "I think yield will be enough." Then to the entire pack. "Will yield be enough for you to accept me as Lupa?"

 

There were laughs and cat calls from the back. As if one lone human pitted against two were's had a chance to get to that point in a fight.

 

Someone from the shadows yelled. "No weapons!"

 

Buffy held her hands up at the returning challenges from the darkness. "But that wouldn't be fair to them."

 

Raina's fur was getting ruffled. She took my voice for a few seconds. "Enough! This is the lupanar, not a wrestling match for your pleasure."

 

Richard stood. "She is right. Buffy state your choice and lets get this over with."

 

Buffy turned back to her two opponents. "Fine. We fight until you say uncle and you only get one hand of claws. In return I only get one knife."

 

She turned to me. "Anita, or whoever is in there, can I borrow your knife."

 

I was a little shocked, but what the hell. If it will get this thing over with any sooner. I need some coffee. I unsheathed one of the wrist knives, but she stopped me.

 

"No, the one at your back."

 

Nice, Buffy. Tell everyone. I pulled my hair to the side and pulled the knife out. It was more of a short sword for someone our size. It should do nicely. Once it cleared the sheath I tossed it at her. Now I don't know if Raina decided to put the little extra umph into the throw or not, but it spun end over end, right at Buffy.

 

She didn't even think twice about side stepping and snatching the blade out of the air, spinning it around to slow the momentum and dropping to one knee with the blade behind her, tip to the ground, hidden from the view of her opponents.

 

Okay, that was impressive.

 

Buffy smirked. "Somebody say go."

 

Michelle's beast was about to burst from her body. She charged, leaving Sonja behind seriously rethinking her role in this duel. Michelle dropped to all fours, a move that would hinder most humans, but was a definite advantage to all were's. It gave them a dexterity edge that could not be matched. It was almost impossible to be knocked over, except by a tackle, and left maneuverability for lunges, leaps, and rolls.

 

Buffy seemed to process all of that in the span of about two milliseconds. She chose her position tactically as well. As Michelle leaped in to rake her claws along Buffy's midsection, Buffy leaped in a upward arc; taking her up and over, trailing the large blade for a cutting stroke along Michelle's spine. Excellent move!

 

The female were yelled in pain and fury.

 

Sonja met Buffy when she landed in a tumble. Her claws slashed upwards from Buffy's waist to her chin. However it was only a glancing cut; ripping her spandex top to shreds and leaving Buffy clad only in her shorts and running shoes.

 

Buffy fell backward to her hands, dropping the blade and sprung back, turning to the side swinging her right foot in a wide arc slamming it into Sonja's jaw. An audible snap was heard as Sonja's jaw broke once again sending blood teeth and Sonja's limp body to the side.

 

This time it was Buffy who was on all fours, scrambling to retrieve the fallen blade. Michelle beat her there, knocking the weapon out of reach and landing her own fist across the side of Buffy's head.

 

The would-be Lupa was momentarily stunned, and Michelle took advantage of the lack of movement, jumping on top of Buffy's back and pulling the her arm behind her until the joint popped out at the shoulder, effectively dislocating Buffy's arm..

 

Raina's munin leaped for joy inside my head. I wasn't so happy after all. Michelle rolled off and laughed as she did.

 

"Ready to say uncle, little girl?"

 

Buffy golden hair fell low in front of her face when she rose to her knees; her arm dangled by her side, useless. When she lifted her head so that her hair fell away the only thing I could see was her eyes.

 

Her yellow, feral eyes.

 

A low rumble escaped her throat. "That hurt."

 

Dirt smudged her previously pristine face, and sheer anger showed in her eyes. She cradled her hurt arm to her body. Her breath turning to a short pant.

 

Then something happened that I had only seen once before. It seemed like years before when I encountered Raina at The Lunatic Cafe. Raina had the rare ability to shift the bone structure. It was a gift that only a strong alpha possessed. Basically she could look like someone else as a result. Nothing too radical; maybe like a blood sister.

 

Buffy's face was shifting. Her eyes thinned and her cheekbones protruded a bit more than her norm. The stranger thing I noticed was the popping sound of her injured arm shifting forward, back in it's intended place.

 

Michelle stood still, in shock as she watched. Fear rolled in waves off of her; I tasted it in the air.

 

Buffy growled once again. "You mentioned something about who was going to say uncle?"

 

There aren't many shifters that can move in a blur. Fast, yes. Quicker that most people can track with normal eyesight, sure. Buffy blurred. Gasps were heard throughout the pack as they watched Michelle receive blow after blow to the stomach, kidneys, and head.

 

Bones were heard braking. Small yips of pain were uttered into the night air. Golden blurs pulled both of Michelle's arms back until they snapped in unison. Her feet were swept out from under her and she fell to the ground in a sobbing heap.

 

Once the blur stopped everyone saw Buffy straddling Michelle's hips leaning forward, whispering something into her ear.

 

Michelle's eyes snapped open and she tried to take a ragged breath.

 

Buffy placed her hand along the smooth line of Michelle's throat and sang. "I caaan't heeear yoooou."

 

Michelle gasped. "Uncle!"

 

Buffy moved her hand to the back of Michelle's neck and pulled her into a sitting position. She reached around and held the wounded girl in a hug. It wasn't until I saw Michelle stiffen that I realized Buffy was fingering the wound she gave her with my blade.

 

"Louder, so everyone can hear."

 

"Buffy, that is enough."

 

The blonde girl was in a rage when she turned her head toward Richard. "I SAY WHEN IT IS ENOUGH! You were always a sniveling thing, weren't you Richard." Buffy spat. "Always, don't hurt the defenseless ones, Raina ... they won't act in your films, Raina ... blah blah, blah."

 

I jumped back when I realized Raina wasn't inside of me anymore.

 

"I like this one, Richard. She is less of a tight ass than the last Lupa we had."

 

Buffy took Michelle's head in her left hand and covered her mouth with her own, kissing Michelle while letting her hand shove deep into the wound at the girl's back.

 

Michelle screamed into Buffy' mouth. Then we felt it, the warm wind and the power spreading outward to the pack. I moved slowly to the side where I could get a better vantage point of the two. Buffy slid her hands down Michelle's spine, over the wound. And I watched as it closed. I listened at bones shifting and knitting themselves together. Buffy threw the girl to the ground and stood at her feet,

 

"I am Lupa. I am the all-mother, I am your guardian, your refuge, your peace. I will stand with you against all harm. Your enemies are my enemies. I share blood and flesh with you. We are Lukoi, we are pack."

 

Hundreds moved forward with, each wanting and needing to mark their Lupa and in turned be marked by her. As they pushed passed me I was forced to the outside of the circle and eventually outside of the lupanar.

 

They had their new Lupa. I had a new headache.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

Oh my god!

 

It felt like hours. Bodies pressed against me; rubbing, touching, feeling my body. I should be screaming in terror at the number of creatures that are taking a part of me with them tonight. Instead I feel nothing but satisfaction of having had someone's life in my hands.

 

I could have reached in and pulled Michelle's heart from her body. In fact I could have done more than that. I could have devoured her. But I am still in control of this body. Me, Buffy Summers, the Slayer. I am in control and no half-assed wolf virus is going to turn me into an animal.

 

My body shuddered and a low moan escaped my lips. When my eyes opened I saw it cresting above the trees; the full moon.

 

Richard's voice was on the edge of my senses. "Now we hunt, my love."

 

I felt a burning deep in the pit of my stomach. Something was waking up as if it were in a long slumber and was just awakened. I fell to my hands and knees screaming at the burning along my skin. It was like I had to rip it off to get to the true me inside. My body trembled and I looked back at Richard.

 

"Help me ... "

 

Then I exploded.

 

 

Chapter 14

 

(Willow)

 

I think it was the wafting sounds of air coming from the vents on the ceiling that eventually woke me. Either that or the vampire sitting on my bed. From what I know of vampires, it was probably the air.

 

"You are finally awake, mon chéri."

 

I opened my eyes and saw the blonde vampire, Asher, sitting against the tall black lacquer footboard at the end of the bed. His hands were one atop the other laying softly on his lap and his legs were extended straight, crossed at the ankle. How is it that vampires always look so cool when they are lounging?

 

Something struck me different from the night before. He was wearing his hair back and in a low ponytail, effectively showing all of his newly perfect face.

 

I smiled and leaned up, resting my head on one hand. "I like the new look."

 

He nodded his head once in appreciation. "Thanks to you."

 

I stretched, catlike, against the silk sheets, loving the feel against my bare skin ... against my bare skin ... uh ... I snapped the top sheet against my chest, up to my throat. I must have looked like a total geek.

 

"Asher, where are my clothes?"

 

He smiled naughtily.

 

"Do not be alarmed, mon saule. Jean-Claude had one of the ladies make you a bit more comfortable."

 

I felt my cheeks glow crimson.

 

Asher grinned. "How can someone so beautiful and powerful be so insecure as to her lack of attire." His legs swung gracefully off the side of the bed and he lifted up as if pulled by strings to a standing position. "It is I who should feel apprehensive in your presence."

 

I felt absolutely wooed. Boy, he shur do talk purddy. Hold on ... did he say beautiful?

 

I watched him as he crossed to the bathroom and returned with a emerald green silk robe. I started to reach for it but he held it open for me.

 

"I will avert my eyes at the proper moments, mon saule."

 

I smiled softly to him and rose from the bed, letting the sheet slide down. His head turned away and his eyes closed. I have no idea why I just took his word that he would remain a gentleman. He has never given me cause to doubt his word over the centuries ...

 

Okay, where did that come from.

 

Calm down Willow. It's just residue from the Vulcan Mind Meld we had the other night.

 

I pulled the robe tight around my body and tied the proffered sash at my waist.

 

"Are you hungry, chéri?"

 

I nodded.

 

"I will have the kitchen prepare something for you. Would you prefer to dine in the club or in private?"

 

I thought about it for a few seconds. "Will you be joining me?"

 

His lips thinned and turned upwards. "I do not ... eat."

 

I stifled a giggle. "Then will you keep me company while I eat?"

 

"Whatever my lady desires."

 

Now I smiled at that one. "Be careful of what you offer, Asher. I have a large appetite. In private will be fine."

 

He crossed to the princess style phone sitting on the bedside table and mutter a few words as I took in my surroundings. From the feel of the place I'd say that we were underground. I knelt and placed my hand to the thick carpet and concentrated slightly.

 

Ever since my training in England I had a certain affinity with the earth. Everything was connected. I stretched out my energy through the floor and felt Mother Earth. The returning sensations were not much different from my own Earth. One thing that was noticeably different was the absence of the Hellmouth.

 

I noticed because I was very attuned to it's presence when I was in England. Something was coming and that something had teeth. That's why I was rushing back to sunny California so quickly; they needed my help. There wasn't much that Buffy and the gang couldn't handle. I just hope that they can hold it off long enough for me to get back.

 

"... you well?"

 

I lifted my hand away from the floor and broke the connection with the Earth.

 

"I'm sorry, Asher. Did you say something."

 

He stood many feet from me, warily. "I asked if you were well. You seemed in a sort of trance."

 

I nodded. "I was getting a feel of this place."

 

His brow arched. "And you can accomplish this by touching the carpet?"

 

I closed on him slowly, with my hands outward. "Everything is connected, Asher. The carpet, the cement beneath it, and the ground beneath that. You just have to know how to interpret that connection."

 

My eyes followed his graceful form as he moved around the room. It was funny; he was almost fidgeting. Looking at the artwork that adorned the walls of this makeshift grave underneath the real world. From what I have seen of the vampires of this world I had no doubt that the paintings were originals from a time, centuries past.

 

Each scene depicted was dark and broody: night skies, castle-like hallways with shadows where shadows shouldn't be, and one that interested me most of all; a village setting with a blazing fire in the distance.

 

A thought came to me, unbidden from the recesses of my mind; that tragic day. Screams echoed off of the dungeon walls, none of them were my own. I laid on the self-appointed Inquisitor's torture table, watching as drop after drop of holy acid was dripped on my face.

 

Nothing would make me scream, Julianna deserved that much. Her pain was infinitely greater and I felt every moment of that night again and again with each drop. She was my human servant and much more: my friend, my lover, my heart.

 

"Willow."

 

I blinked repeatedly; my trance broken.

 

Asher was standing in front of me, his face was sullen and broken.

 

"That thought was not for you."

 

I know he could have moved away when my arms encircled him, but he didn't. Instead he stiffened. My head rested against his shoulder.

 

"I'm so sorry, Asher."

 

He still did not return my hug.

 

"It is past ... nothing but a memory." He whispered.

 

His scent rose softly to my nose, calming me.

 

"I know better."

 

The tension eased a little in his back. With this brief respite I pulled my head back and inched up on my toes, placing a soft kiss on his cheek. He froze again. I could almost feel his fear as my lips trailed along his jaw to his angular chin resting finally upon his cool lips.

 

The kiss was short lived. Asher pulled back and in the next moment he was across the room, pain in his eyes.

 

"Willow, I cannot."

 

I moved as graceful and non-threatening as I could toward him. My arms were open as if I were approaching a wounded animal, showing it I meant no harm.

 

"You cannot what, Asher?"

 

He squeezed his eyes shut. His self-imposed resolve wavering.

 

"I will not allow myself to become in thrall to you."

 

The giggle escaped my lips before I could catch it. "In thrall? Asher, I'm not a vampire."

 

His eyes opened and locked on mine. "No you are something much more fearful."

 

It felt as if I had been hit. My head snapped like he had slapped me.

 

"Willow, you have laid the first mark upon me. I will not allow another."

 

"Mark?"

 

He nodded. "The other night ... "

 

Heated memories of the other night rose color to my face. "Oh ... I marked you?"

 

He nodded again.

 

"Can you wash it off?"

 

Laughter filled the room suddenly.

 

"If it were only that easy. Once given, the marks cannot be taken away." He inched closer. The look of a predator returned to his body language. "We will always be a part of each other unto death."

 

He circled me slowly, allowing the revelation to set in.

 

"As of now I still have free will. I cannot allow you to add further to my enslavement."

 

I turned to him. "Asher, you have to believe me I never meant ..."

 

"I know. That is why I must not touch you, nor you me."

 

I have no idea why that hurt me deep inside, worse than anything in recent memory with the exception of Tara's death. I felt my eyes burn and my jaw clench.

 

"It is the way it must be, chéri."

 

The door opened and he was gone in a the span of a second.

 

Oh goddess, what have I done?

 

 

Chapter 15

 

(Buffy)

 

I am so never going to eat red meat again.

 

I think I must have brushed my teeth for the thousandth time this morning. It wasn't the taste so much. Actually I still seem to have a craving for protein. It was just the thought of bouncing through the forest with your lover and hundreds of his friends hunting, catching, and ripping into a poor defenseless ...

 

The familiar shudder ran through my body.

 

My nostrils flared. Richard was up and moving around. These new senses are going to take some getting used to.

 

I quickly rinsed my mouth and placed the toothbrush back in the toothbrush thingy as Richard walked in. His eyes were bright and a grin was smeared across his face. Great he's a morning person. I thought it might had been just waking up next to me for the last few days that made him happy. But after a week of bright eyed and bushy tailed, I was about to barf.

 

"Morning." He greeted.

 

I put my hands on his chest and tiptoed up for a kiss. Just a peck ... someone hasn't brushed yet.

 

"Coffee?"

 

He smirked. "You know I don't do coffee, Buffy."

 

"It may be your only fault, honey."

 

"Then you need to get to know me better."

 

After breakfast we headed into town to pick up Willow. I didn't want

to leave her at that vampire club any longer than necessary. The sky around downtown was cloud covered and stormy looking.

 

"Damn, I didn't bring an umbrella."

 

Richard reached into the back seat, pulled out a compact travel umbrella and smiled as he handed it to me. I chirped my happiness.

 

"What, are you a boy scout or something?"

 

His smile turned into a smirk. "I don't think I've ever been called that before."

 

He switched on the radio and dialed up the local news and weather station to find out the forecast. I stared out the window and zoned out at the passing store fronts and pedestrians.

 

Is this it? Is this my happy ever after that I have been dreaming of ever since I became the Slayer? If so then it's not to bad ... as far as happy goes. I don't have to patrol night after night anymore in search of the next apocalypse. Granted I'm responsible for a inordinate amount of furry people now, but they are normal ... at least as normal as you can get being a creature of the night; there are good people and bad, just like normal life.

 

With Richard leading them, I think they are going to be okay. I'm used to the protecting role. It's the wild, hungry, sex driven, possessed by past lupa thing that I am worried about. I can't really describe what it felt like having something guide my actions like this chick Raina did last night.

 

I don't think I lost control of my body; just that Raina showed me what was supposed to be done. I was kinda shocked when she had me kiss Michelle. As I found out later, Raina seemed to go both ways. The way it was described she went every which way, and sex and blood were part of the ritual. It was kinda weird kissing another girl. I'm definitely not gay, but it was different all the same; almost satisfying having Michelle scream into my mouth as I was digging my fingers into the wound at her back.

 

Whoa, where did that come from?

 

I guess it's back to the training room for this girl. I have to get control of these new powers and senses before I actually hurt someone that can't heal like my pack can.

 

Huh, my pack. I'm already starting to think of them as my own.

 

Richard woke me from my self-contemplation. "Whatcha thinking about?"

 

"Hmm? Oh, just pack stuff."

 

He nodded, understanding. "If there's anything, or any question you have ..."

 

"Tell me about Raina."

 

That seemed to shut him up. His brow furrowed uncomfortably.

 

"She was Marcus' lupa. He was Ulfric before me."

 

From what little I know of werewolves the position of Ulfric could only be attained through deadly combat.

 

"You killed him?"

 

He shook his head. "He didn't leave me any choice."

 

I nodded. "I know about those type of choices."

 

I flashed back briefly, three years ago when I skewered Angel on the point of a sword and sent him to hell for a hundred years. Sometimes the good guys don't win.

 

The first splatters of rain hit the windshield. Richard punched a switch and both of our windows slid up. I looked out into the sky above the city. Dark clouds had gathered. It was going to be one heck of a storm.

 

 

(Willow)

 

I stood at the doorway watching torrents of rain pelt the street in front of Guilty Pleasures. The wind was terrific, however I was protected by the face of the building.

 

I just couldn't stay inside that place anymore. Ever since dawn the entire club smelled of death; somewhat like a graveyard. Which, now that I think about it, isn't strange at all considering the sheer number of vampires asleep not thirty feet under where I stood.

 

The reason I couldn't be around it anymore was because I was enjoying it a little too much. I knew all I had to do was prick my finger and will it. They all would be at my beck and call. I know it's a leap of logic, but they're dead, right? In this universe I seem to have a vast control over the dead.

 

Necromancer.

 

I didn't know why I never made the connection before. Sure I could do protective magic and some offensive spells, but I was never in my element as I was when I had control of the dark forces only a few months ago.

 

My decision was made. I couldn't stay here any longer. The temptation was too great. Sure, in this universe necromancers could be either good or bad, but I've had a taste at what I can become if given enough motivation. I can't tempt fate any longer. I need to return to my world where I am not quite as attuned with death.

 

But what of Asher?

 

I still don't know enough about these marks to make an informed decision. Buffy will know what to do. If only she would hurry up and get here already.

 

What's the hurry, Red?

 

Crap.

 

Don't tell me you've forgotten your more logical side already.

 

Please shut up.

 

You can't leave here. Think of all the good you could do.

 

Good? I could have killed people with that stunt I pulled the other day. And please shut up already. You aren't anything but a figment of my imagination.

 

I felt light-headed all of the sudden and swayed catching myself on the doorjamb. What happened next was something that made me question my sanity. I split in two. Well not split in the literal term, but another me stepped out in front of me and turned around.

 

"There that's better." The other me said.

 

I jumped back almost stumbling and watched as I laughed at myself.

 

"Watch out little necromancer."

 

"Who ... who are you?"

 

"I'm you."

 

I'm going insane. The pressure has finally taken it's final toll and I've gone insane.

 

"You're not crazy. I'm just a physical manifestation of your logical mind."

 

She leaned against the doorjamb where I stood only moments before.

 

"Don't you see the power you have here, Red. You can't go back to that other place and be whiney little Willow anymore."

 

My spine stiffened. "I wasn't whiney."

 

My doppelganger laughed. "You can't lie to yourself, Red. Remember, I'm you."

 

I shut my eyes and willed the thing before me gone, but it did no good.

 

"Go away!"

 

"Take the vampire Asher. Make him yours. Three more marks and he'll be yours forever."

 

I started to back up.

 

"And when I say forever, I mean it. You will share in his power, taking it unto you. Immortality is within your grasp!"

 

I couldn't think. "No."

 

"Just imagine what you could do in this universe with the powers you have and immortality. You could rule the earth in a matter of months."

 

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

 

"What are you talking about. I don't want ..."

 

"Don't you?" She sneered. "The world could be at your fingertips. No more of that self-righteous slayer having to save your ass every other night. No more being snubbed by every person that walks down the street thinking that you are inferior. No more prattling women saying they couldn't get off because of your lack of sexual attention."

 

Huh? "What?"

 

"She was faking it, Red. Tara just wanted your power for her own. She faked every orgasm you thought you gave to her."

 

"No."

 

"She didn't love you, Red."

 

Now I was pissed. Nobody talks about Tara that way.

 

I could feel the darkness surrounding me and my energies building up deep inside. I stood my ground and summoned a offensive spell to rid me of this trash in front of me.

 

My doppelganger blinked and realized she had said the wrong thing.

 

"Dammit, the orgasm thing was too much, wasn't it?"

 

Damn right it was.

 

She shrugged and stood up straighter.

 

"I always get carried away with my roles and push it a little too far."

 

What?

 

Then it finally clicked. This wasn't a manifestation of me.

 

"Who are you?" I demanded.

 

It's eyes flared.

 

"Stay in this world, Red. If you don't then I'll make sure everyone suffers: your little slayer friend, the useless boy toy and his demon bitch, even the newly souled vampire. They'll all die screaming your name."

 

My eyes widened in horror as the thing in front of me opened it's mouth impossibly wide and fell in upon itself, wrapping up into a ball and started to fade into non-existence. But I was ready for it.

 

"Envelop!"

 

A sphere of magical energy surrounded the glob of flesh and held it.

 

The resistance was almost too much for me to handle. I could feel it pressing against the inside of the bubble with tremendous pressure. I had to hold it. If I didn't all of my friends would be dead.

 

"Willow?"

 

Concentrate Willow. Focus.

 

The door slammed in front of me and the spell was broken. I could only stand in horror looking at Jason. NO!

 

"What was that!"

 

My eyes burned. "No."

 

"Willow? Are you okay? Did it hurt you?"

 

"You just killed my friends!"

 

With every ounce of strength I had I pushed Jason through the door except I used my magic.

 

The door exploded into thousands of splinters and his body flew across the street into a small truck. The rain was pouring even harder as I exited the building and stepped out to the street. I didn't bother with Jason. It didn't matter if he was dead or not. Nothing else matter except saving my friends and destroying that ... thing.

 

I looked up into the sky and understood what must be done.

 

 

Chapter 16

 

(Anita)

 

I hate Christmas shopping, but even worse, I hate late Christmas shopping. It's not that I won't have the time next month. The holiday season is always slow at Animators Inc. I guess it has something to do with the holy month. A lot of people think it's not very Christian like to raise zombies and even more so around this time of year.

 

I knew different. My faith was as strong as ever. I knew because my cross still flared to life whenever I neared a vampire. You can't have a flaring cross and not have faith backed up by the power of God.

 

I have even been attending church more often. Which is a good thing. For a while there I had missed a number of days and didn't know if that was going to count against me in the long run.

 

The original plan was to depart to the stores after an early visit to church, but with this storm I wasn't so sure. The news was reporting gale force winds and torrential downpours for the remainder of the day. The funny thing was the strong high pressure front that was baring down just outside of the city could not budge the storm. Normally a weather front such as this would push the cloud cover out of the way in difference to it's path. Something wasn't right.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

Living in the fun town of Sunnydale for the last five years, I had forgotten the joys of being stuck in traffic, at lunch rush, in a rain storm, behind an eight car pile up on the I-70.

 

"Richard, tell me about Raina."

 

If I didn't know any better I would have thought the tension level in the car rose about ten notches.

 

"What do you want to know?"

 

I turned in my seat as much as the seatbelt would allow me to face him.

 

"Well, considering last night she pops into my head and gets me doing smoochies with the girl I just beat the crap out of, I think I might need to know a bit more about her."

 

He nodded somberly.

 

"You know she was Marcus' Lupa."

 

I nodded.

 

"She was an evil person, Buffy; sadistic, and lacking of any moral structure." He paused. "Marcus was under her thumb, whether he thought so or not. She used to pimp out lesser pack members to do porn films. That's how Anita became Nimir-Ra."

 

My shock was readily apparent. "Anita was in porn films?"

 

I guess this was a tension release for Richard. He laughed out loud.

 

"No, she killed their leader once she found out that they turned out to be snuff films."

 

I grimaced. "You mean people died?"

 

He nodded. "I didn't know about it until it was too late."

 

"And now this psycho is running around in my head?"

 

"Just a ghost of her, Buffy. Anita has used her to do a lot of good since then." He sat thoughtfully. "I think the only good trait she ever had was her devotion to the pack. Not necessarily to their mental well being, but the pack always came first to her."

 

Thunder cracked above our heads. I could feel the resulting vibrations run through the car.

 

"And what about this munin thing? Is this something that I have to worry about?"

 

He reached out and took my hand.

 

"I really didn't know that it would take a hold of you. It is not a common trait to be able to channel the munin, but I won't lie to you. Some people have been driven mad trying to control the munin."

 

Well that didn't sit well with me.

 

"From what Anita has told me, it's best to just let the munin have it's time with you and it will go away peaceably. However, that doesn't mean that you can't control it. Raina is not just any other munin. She likes sex and pain, preferably together, and she wasn't too picky about her choice of victims."

 

Silence fell for the next few minutes.

 

*********************

 

(Willow)

 

I'll never get there at this rate. The wind was just too strong, compounded by the buckets of rain that are filling the streets. Normally I would just use magic to shield it off of me, but my magic is nature based and with nature blasting St. Louis at the moment I wouldn't fill safe using it unless it was absolutely necessary.

 

I ducked into a diner of sorts for lunch and tried to wait the rain out for another couple of hours. There wasn't much of a crowd so the waitress didn't mind keeping me going with about a pot and a half of coffee. I'll be wizzing for the rest of the day ... sigh.

 

My watch beeped at the three o'clock hour and I decided I couldn't wait any longer. I'd have to fight my way through.

 

***********************

 

(Buffy)

 

"What do you mean she left!"

 

Yeah, the traffic finally cleared and we made it to Guilty Pleasures to find Willow had made with the Witchiee-poo and went out in the storm, alone.

 

Jason cringed at the tone of my voice. "I'm sorry. I was eating fender at the time. There wasn't much I could do about it."

 

I turned to Richard who seemed similarly worried.

 

"How are we going to find her in that." I motioned out to the storm.

 

"Asher could find her." Jason offered.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

He shrugged. "She marked him. Asher can find her through the mark."

 

It was still hours until sundown. I don't think I could wait that long.

 

"It will be too late. Willow has been out in that storm for over five hours."

 

"Asher and Jean-Claude will be awake in another thirty minutes. They are storing enough to wake before the sun sets."

 

Thirty minutes. I could do thirty minutes.

 

****************

 

(Anita)

 

"I'm betting whatever is causing this is at the center of that storm."

 

Micah tried to rationalize. "Anita, what makes you think this is anything but an unusually seasonal storm?"

 

What indeed? Nothing but what the weatherman says? No, it was my gut, and I always listened to my gut. It's kept me alive for these last few years when everything else in my head screamed, 'run away.' I couldn't take the chance that it wasn't normal.

 

"I'm going, Micah. Are you with me?"

 

His face fell in mock astonishment. "Anita, should you even ask?"

 

I softened and stroked his chin. He would walk into a den of master vamps for me.

 

"This isn't a pard thing. It might be dangerous."

 

He laughed easily. "If it's an Anita thing, it's a pard thing. Where you tread so do I."

 

I checked my supply of ammo and holstered the Browning. "Let's go before I get all weepy."

 

With Micah at my back and our bodyguards ... somewhere, we were off.

 

**************************

 

(Buffy)

 

I stared at the door to the vampire's underground crypt type thing. "Open, open, open."

 

Richard squeezed my shoulder. "He's awake."

 

Huh? "X-Ray vision much?"

 

He smirked. "I can feel him through the marks."

 

I shook my head. "That has got to be so weird." Then I smacked him. "And stop feeling up men. You're mine."

 

He was about to explain and gave up.

 

All right; I've already got him trained. Now I've just got to do something about the rest of the pack.

 

We waited for what seemed like hours and finally Jean-Claude came thorough the door.

 

"I have apprised Asher of the situation. He will be here momentarily."

 

True to his word Asher followed moments later dressed head to toe in thick black leather sporting a black motorcycle helmet in his hands. He stopped and turned to Jean-Claude.

 

"C'est au revoir, mon ami"

 

I really hate it when they speak French.

 

Jean-Claude took Asher in his arms and squeezed him tightly.

 

"Allez et soyez à la paix, mon chardonneret. Je vous penserai souvent."

 

He kissed Asher on both cheeks and released him.

 

My patience was about at its limits. "Can we go now?"

 

**************

 

(Willow)

 

I'm close I can feel the energy crackling along my skin like a thousand tiny ants. Are you ready for this Willow? Is this what you really want to do? Dammit, no it's not, but I know it has to be done.

 

The wind was picking up, stronger than ever, whipping side to side. Then I saw it. Another block down the street. I could see the rain starting to move in a circular motion at the mercy of the pounding wind.

 

I was scared. What if the spell doesn't work and I wind up killing myself. Would that make things any better? Probably. But I had to try.

 

I could feel part of me being pulled back and another part being pushed forward to duty. The building I was braced against didn't seem to provide much in the way of cover from the elements, however it was nice to be holding on to something solid.

 

The streets were empty; no cars, nor pedestrians. They were the smart ones.

 

**********************

 

(Anita)

 

The jeep rocked with each building we passed. Wind gusts were cutting downtown up. Trash cans were speeding down the sidewalks, anything that wasn't nailed down acted as missiles destroying storefronts and making our drive that much more perilous. I don't think I have ever seen Micah as nervous as he was now. He had a firm grip on the 'oh shit' strap that hung from the inside frame of the jeep. I wish that I could reassure him that we were going to be alright. Hell, I've only had one really bad wreck and that really wasn't my fault. I blame that on the pack of rouge vampires that had it in for me one night.

 

I kept looking up, trying to find the center of the storm. I've seen the inside of a hurricane once. The sky was much the same except the eye of the storm wasn't the calmest point. The closer we got to it the worse things were.

 

********************

 

(Buffy)

 

"Turn here."

 

Richard followed Asher's instructions, trying not to flip the car as he made the corner.

 

"Look out!" I screamed.

 

Richard swerved, narrowly avoiding a vehicle that cut us off.

 

"Who's the asshole in the jeep!"

 

Richard scowled. "That would be Anita."

 

Oh.

 

******************

 

(Willow)

 

"Goddess Diane, allow this traveler to finish her journey, that she may defend the mother earth from ..."

 

I was distracted from the incantation by a series of car horn blasts.

 

"Dammit. I hate it when that happens."

 

I found the closest door to the building I was bracing myself against and opened the door. The wind pulled it from my grasp and slammed it against the wall snapping it off of it's hinges.

 

I looked around quickly. The lobby was empty, luckily. Two cars came to a halt just outside the door and the gang unloaded dodging flying rubbish and rapidly made their way inside.

 

"Fancy meeting you guys here."

 

Just from the few seconds that they were exposed to the elements they were drenched.

 

Buffy was the first to speak up.

 

"Willow, what the hell are you doing out in this. You scared the heck out of me."

 

Her strong arms grabbed a hold of me and squeezed. I looked over her shoulder at a black clad figure as it removed it's helmet. Asher.

 

He looked rather somber, almost dreading what was coming.

 

"Are you causing this, Willow?" Anita asked urgently.

 

I pushed Buffy away softly and I shook my head no. "I didn't cause the storm, but I am the cause of it. "

 

Buffy looked me in the eyes, searching for something.

 

"Willow, what are you doing?"

 

My lips thinned into a regretful smile. "I'm leaving, Buffy. There's trouble and I have to help the gang. I brought through something evil when I arrived, now I have to make it right."

 

 

Chapter 17

 

(Buffy)

 

I was torn. I knew about duty and I also knew about my friends. If Willow said that they need her then it's probably true.

 

"Do you want me to come with?"

 

She shook her head. "That's why I came here by myself. You belong here now, Buffy." A thought came to mind. "This world is going to need a Slayer. Whatever it was that followed me through didn't want me going back. And I have a feeling a part of it will stay behind, even if I go back."

 

"What was it?" Anita asked.

 

"I don't know: a ghost, an apparition. Whatever it was, it couldn't take corporeal form. It had me thinking that it was my conscience or something. It even took my appearance. I thought I was hallucinating at first, but in the end it had to show its true form."

 

She started for the door.

 

"Willow." I blurted out.

 

She turned. I didn't know what to say. My best friend in the world was leaving and I didn't know if I would ever see her again. What was I supposed to say. All I know is I didn't get a chance to utter anything before she came back and hugged me again.

 

My tears mixed with the rain that was still dripping down my face.

 

"I have to go now, Buffy. Take care of yourself and Richard." She pulled back slightly and looked into my eyes. "I love you."

 

I sniffed and smiled. "I love you too, Wils."

 

 

(Anita)

 

I felt bad for Buffy. We all have hard decisions to make in life; I know for I was feeling something rise up inside of me, something not of my own.

 

It was Jean-Claude.

 

I opened the marks between us and felt his sorrow and his pain from losing Asher. What!

 

I spun around looking at the black clad vampire. "You're going too?"

 

He didn't seem surprised.

 

"Oui."

 

Willow wasn't expecting that.

 

"You can't come. It will be too dangerous. I don't even know if I can make it back to Sunnydale. I ... I could end up on the ass end of the universe."

 

He smiled sweetly. "Then we will be at the ass end together, ma petit saule. We are joined now, you and I."

 

Joined? "What do you mean joined?"

 

Asher turned to me. "Willow has given me the first mark, Anita. It seems as if I will not be enslaved to you after all."

 

I flinched as if he had struck me.

 

"Asher, I never meant ..."

 

In a swift movement he was in front of me cupping my face in his hands, pressing his lips to mine. I let him go, hell I joined in until it seemed as if the world outside had stopped altogether.

 

He pulled away. "Forgive me, chéri. And do not forget."

 

My throat hurt from the suppressed cry that was trapped inside. This wasn't supposed to be happening. I watched as he took Willow's hand in his and walked out the door.

 

We stood and watched from the safety of the lobby. Asher had replaced his helmet and was holding Willow in his arms, protecting her from the abusive elements. I looked down at the blackened sidewalk as she completed her incantation. A violet glow consumed them both in a matter of seconds. They stared at us through the glass wall of the building. We couldn't hear her of course, but her words were universal ... goodbye.

 

 

(Willow)

 

Asher held me in his arms tightly. He was not afraid, but perhaps a little anxious. I knew I would be safe, and I knew Buffy would be too. I was stunned that Asher had joined me. I figured he would be free of the mark I had laid on him. Or perhaps he was already free. From what he said to Anita at the end, I had the feeling his time in St. Louis had come to an end as well.

 

We shared something during our connection a couple of days ago. Perhaps we might share it again in the future. We'll see.

 

*****************

 

The blackness that enveloped us was beginning to fade to light; a streetlight to be specific, in front of The Magic Box. We were home at last.

 

*********************

 

(Buffy)

 

My hands were pressed against the glass as I watched my best friend leave for home. Good luck Willow.

 

As the light faded so did the wind and the rain. The sun broke through the clouds and the air smelled of fresh water.

 

"She'll be fine."

 

Richard embraced me from behind. "We'll find a way to visit, Buffy."

 

I smiled and closed my eyes. "No we won't. But that's okay. Willow is back where she belongs."

 

Micah broke the eloquent moment. "And exactly where does that leave Asher?"

 

I opened my eyes and saw Anita burying her face in his shoulder. Micah rubbed her back softly. I couldn't say anything. Another man had been pulled out of her life and, in part, I was to blame. Anita stiffened and pulled herself upright. Her eyes were red and her jaw was set.

 

"Forget about it. It's over." She bravely said ... right.

 

"Anita ..."

 

She threw her fist at me and I didn't even try to avoid it, but Micah caught her in time. "Anita, no."

 

My face felt hot all of the sudden. I couldn't keep my eyes on her from the shame that I felt.

 

"Anita ... I'm sorry."

 

Richard pulled me away. "Give her time, Buffy."

 

Time? Was that all that was needed? Time was always my enemy, always the one thing that made my life a living hell. How could it make things all right?


	3. To Err Is Human

Part One

 

"Are you sure about this?"

 

"It's the only way to be sure the vampire doesn't come back to life. You have to take the head and the heart."

 

The first couple of nights had been fairly boring. I followed Anita around from zombie raising to zombie raising. Once you've seen one chicken's throat cut you've seen them ...

 

"Are you paying attention?"

 

Lately I had been categorizing Anita's facial expressions, especially since been giving me a lot of negative ones. This was her 'Get on with it, already' face. It was a annoyed smirk with a faint left eyebrow raise.

 

I guess it all started the day Willow and Asher left. Apparently she had some untested love/lust thing going on with Asher and somehow it was all my fault he chose Willow instead of her. She hadn't said as much, but I can still see it on her face.

 

Heck, it wasn't like she was lonely or anything. She still had like twelve other guys, more guys than you can shake a stick at. What does that mean anyway. I can shake a stick at a lot of people.

 

Shake shake shake, shake shake shake, shake your boo ...

 

"Buffy! Oh, forget it. I'll do it."

 

I held my hands up. "Wait."

 

I raised the blade I had purchased two days before. It wasn't much more than an over sized machete. You'd think in a world of vampires that there would be a decent sword shop in a big city like St. Louis. However, I was out of luck. Most of what I found were swords for wanna-be collectors.

 

Anita had given me a list of supplies to purchase and only have with me when carrying a valid court order of execution. Apparently it's against the law to even carry tools of the trade. The only exception to this is a dying will. If you want, you can request never to live as a vamp. If you wind up in the morgue as the result of a vamp attack, I get to come chop off your head and cut out your heart; much like this guy right here. Isn't that nice?

 

The cut was clean and relatively bloodless. It was the heart cutting that was going to be messy, but I've had my hands in worse than this. Soap is one of the great inventions known to man. Dry cleaning is the other.

 

Anita handed over the rib cutters; nothing more than an oversized pair of snippers vaguely resembling bolt cutters. It made the job a bit cleaner and gave easy access to the heart. No matter what people tell you, if you are a normal human, you can't just rip someone's heart out. It's a big honkin' muscle and it's attached to the body. You have to cut these attachments ... unless you are really strong. I'm the Slayer, and a werewolf.

 

"Was that really necessary?" Anita grimaced.

 

I dropped the heart in the provided plastic bag and sat it next to the severed head. They would be brought to a crematorium and the ashes would be scattered later.

 

"I'm a werewolf ... sue me."

 

We washed up and delivered the prizes to the proper authorities for disposal or whatever they do with it. My job was done for the night. Yea, me!

 

I dropped out of my bloodstained coveralls. I have Anita to thank for that suggestion. I didn't need anymore clothing casualties until payday. Not that I was broke already, but all of the supplies that I had to buy for this job seriously cut into that little nest egg.

 

At Anita's insistence I purchased a handgun. It was a Smith and Wesson Sigma 40 P. Why did I pick that one? It looked cool and felt right in my hand. I had that tucked away under my left arm. It only took a few days in a classroom and on the firing range a little background check and poof, legally armed Buffy. Don't get me wrong. I'm not a big fan of guns. I'd much prefer a nice long sword or my favorite Mr. Pointy than this hardware.

 

I seriously don't know how I passed the background check. I'm not supposed to exist in this universe. Maybe Bert had something to do with it. But I'm not really sweating the weird stuff. I already have too much weird on my plate.

 

The ringing of my cell phone pulled me out of my self-absorbing thoughts.

 

"Hello."

 

"Buffy, It's Sylvie."

 

Sylvie Barker is Geri of the Thronos Rokke Clan. Basically it means she's top dog ... uh, wolf when Richard and me aren't around.

 

"Hey, Sylvie. What's up?"

 

She sounded kinda hesitant. "We have a problem, and I can't find Richard."

 

This wasn't out of the ordinary. Richard didn't like to carry a cell phone. You'd have thought one of his bodyguards would carry one, but they tend to be of the old school. Wherever Richard is, he must be in transition. He'll be tracked down soon, but apparently not soon enough for this particular problem.

 

"Where are you at? Or should I ask where is the problem at?"

 

"The Lunatic Cafe."

 

Oh, I totally forgot to tell you about that. Apparently I inherited a restaurant. Raina, a former Lupa, was the proprietor of The Lunatic Cafe, a restaurant in University City. Normally ownership was passed on from Lupa to Lupa, but when Anita killed Raina it kinda threw a wrench in the works.

 

Anita didn't kill her by werewolf rules, she used a gun. So that undid the deal. But now that I acquired the title by wolfy means, I get the restaurant. That ticked off more than a few people. The alpha females of the clan had a co-operative ownership running and were raking in the bucks. They didn't want to lose their retirement fund, I guess.

 

When I found out it was going to cause problems I was going to tell them to keep it. I'm not really a service industry type of girl. But Richard wouldn't hear of it. When the alpha's came to complain, he put his foot down, literally.

 

When I was trying to pull his foot off of Michelle's chest it all became clear. Michelle didn't want to be Lupa. The only reason she fought me at the Lupinar was because of the money. She knew she would be losing the Cafe. And Richard had overreacted against Michelle because she had challenged me thinking I was not wolfy enough to take her.

 

In the end I put my own foot down saying that I would be sorta a chairwoman-of-the-board. I'd share the Cafe with the female alphas under the condition that I had final say in any major decision making plus twenty percent of the profit. I thought that was fair. Heck, I could have taken the entire thing and made them work for me. I think they got the better deal.

 

"Are you still there?" Sylvie asked.

 

"Yeah. I'll be there in twenty minutes."

 

Luckily I was still in a busier portion of the city and was able to hail a cab; taking the bus would have been a lot slower.

 

***************

The Lunatic Cafe could have passed for any other business, nestled amongst the others, bustling with the comings and goings of the local college kiddos at the late hour.

 

The cab dropped me off at the front door and Theodore the doorman got the fair. Hey, being Lupa has it's perks every once in a while.

 

From the inside the Cafe looked like it used to be somebody's house. On one side of the room stretched the bar, everywhere else was virtually crammed with tables which in turn were crammed with people having a great time cutting up their steaks and baked potatoes.

 

Sylvie met me at the front. I held out my machete for Theodore to keep an eye on. People tend to get nervous when that see a wide, two-foot blade stretched down someone's leg. I still had my Sigma and a decent sized knife at my back just in case things got out of hand.

 

I'll still rely on my own skill before I'll ever reach for the gun, however, it's a comforting thought that the artillery is there if I need it.

 

Sylvie moved in close and buried her face in my hair, hugging me close. To the casual passer-by this scene was probably two close friends saying hi, but I knew better. It was one pack mate greeting her Lupa. It took me a couple of times to get used to this overly touchy way of saying hello, but my uneasiness faded to satisfaction and closeness. It's hard to describe unless you are pack.

 

After the pleasantries were complete, Sylvie pulled back and led me to the Hall. The Hall was located in toward the back of the Cafe at the end of a long narrow hallway. It was the size of a banquet hall with a large circle of chairs in the middle; half of which were full.

 

Those that were sitting, rose when I entered the room. The alphas greeted me as Sylvie did, and I touched the less dominant of the pack as I passed them. Just my touch is sufficient to let them know I acknowledge them, wish them well, and offer my protection.

 

Then the bloodsmell hit me.

 

It wasn't overwhelming, but strong enough to make my own blood rush and my heart to pump a bit faster. Once I cleared the line of chairs I saw what was bleeding. It was Sonja.

 

Sonja and I had a disagreement once. Okay, twice. I broke her jaw both times, strangely enough, with similar kicks to the face. This time however it looked as if someone beat me to it. The left half of her face was caved in and she was out cold. A doctor that I had never seen before was treating her wounds. Although this isn't out of the ordinary. I still don't know half the clan as of yet. I do know everyone's scent, but not their faces. More weirdness.

 

I knelt down and touched the doctor's shoulder. "She going to be okay?"

 

"I do not know yet, my Lupa. She's probably sustained a serious concussion. It's healing, but it's too slow."

 

"And?"

 

"She'll need to shift to repair the rest of the damage. Her jaw and most of the bone structure is crushed beyond conventional repair. It's amazing that she's survived this long."

 

The doc looked very worried.

 

"What aren't you telling me?" I asked.

 

"Sonja can't shift while she's unconscious and in this state, neither you nor the Ulfric can call her beast either."

 

The news settled in then my head whipped around to Sylvie.

 

"Have you found Richard?"

 

She nodded. "He'll be here in another twenty or thirty minutes."

 

The doc laid his hand on mine. "It will be too late."

 

I was fresh out of ideas. My gaze traveled the room from face to face, each person held a certain amount of fear and hope that I would come up with the answer. It was a look I had become quite familiar with, growing up in Sunnydale, but here, I was helpless.

 

"Give me a minute."

 

I stood and moved to the far side of the room, motioning Sylvie to come.

 

"Any ideas?"

 

She looked a little timid which was weird for Sylvie. Normally she's the poster child for backbone.

 

"Anita was able to call munin to heal. Have you attempted this since the lupinar?"

 

I shook my head. "I wouldn't even know where to begin."

 

She nodded in sympathy. "Then Sonja will die."

 

She said it matter-of-factly. Like 'oh, I forgot the milk. Well then, you'll just have to drink your coffee black.'

 

Letting Sonja die wasn't an option. Granted she was a pain in my ass, but she was my pain in the ass, and nobody got to hurt her but me.

 

I turned from Sylvie and made my way back, shedding my coat and letting it fall to the floor. I had learned enough to know that closeness of the pack has it's own comfort. If nothing else she was going to feel me giving her that comfort before she died.

 

"Sit her up."

 

The doctor gave me a concerned look, but did as he was told.

 

Sylvie whispered as we approached. "Bare skin is best."

 

I looked at her and didn't think twice before shedding the shoulder holster and the blouse underneath. I sat down on the floor, behind her and let my legs straddle the sides of hers.

 

"Now lean her back against me."

 

Her head rested just under my chin and I encircled her body with my arms. Being this close to her was affecting me in an odd sort of way. Wolfy thoughts ran through my head. She was mine to protect and I wasn't there for her. I'm not smart enough to be there for her now, and she's going to die because I wasn't smart enough. I wasn't Lupa enough.

 

Damn that!

 

"Everyone down here with me. I want her to feel the pack before she goes."

 

People nodded and shed their shirts and some, the rest of their clothes, each in turn touching and sharing their warmth with Sonja. I just sat and rocked her slightly, smoothing away the stray hairs out of her damaged face. We lay like that for what seemed an eternity. I could feel her heart beat through her back. It was slow and erratic.

 

It was all I could do to keep my own from following. My heart was breaking that I was losing one of my own.

 

'Come on Sonja, wake up' was my silent mantra.

 

In the midst of my concentration I felt energy wash over me, not the munin, Richard. He was here and not far away.

 

"Hang on, Sonja. The Calvary is here."

 

My eyes locked on the door to the hall while I concentrated even harder on Sonja's heart; willing it to continue its labored task.

 

I didn't realize when I had closed my eyes again, but the feel of Richard at my back came to my senses. I felt his beast brush against mine and our energy flared, spreading into Sonja and outward to the rest of the pack.

 

His lips were at my ear whispering softly as to not break my concentration.

 

"Relax and open your mind, yourself. Call for the munin. It's a part of you now they have to answer your call. Reach out."

 

I did as he said, letting go of my tension and called out with my mind, praying for someone to answer. And they did. My eyes snapped open and I gasped. I felt as if my body was going to explode from the influx of energy. Instead I forced it out from my skin and into Sonja. Everything I had went with it. I willed her to live and heal and watched as my will was done.

 

Her face filled out before my eyes and the skin repaired itself to its flawless quality. Missing chunks of hair re-grew and her breathing resumed its regular rhythm.

 

My own breathing had become labored and Richard pulled me away.

 

"Enough, Buffy. Enough, my Lupa. She is saved."

 

I remember looking into his face and smiling before I realized I was dripping with sweat. I felt like I had just had a marathon bout with half the vampires in Sunnydale.

 

"Sleep my Lupa, sleep."

 

 

~*~Part Two~*~

 

(Anita)

 

You can do it, Anita. Just a few more weeks of training and your life will be better. Less late night calls to go to the ass end of the state. Less grumbling from Bert for not being available twenty-four hours a day. And most of all less Buffy Summers. Sure I'll still see her on occasion, but nowhere near as much as I'm seeing her now.

 

I'm overreacting, I know. It wasn't her fault that she tripped and fell into Richard's bed. It wasn't her fault that Asher ups and leaves without so much as a warning with the wicked Wicca of the west. And it wasn't her fault that she gets clawed up by Olaf the psychopathic werewolf and winds up taking my pack away from me.

 

I shouldn't be mad about any of these things, I know. I've had it explained to me a thousand different ways from a thousand different people. The end result was I had much less responsibility in my life. Two less men and several hundred less werewolves to worry about. I should be ecstatic. So why am I still in the dumps?

 

Jean-Claude seems to think that I've lost a lot of my power base and that is always upsetting even if it was wanted. I'm not power hungry, that's his problem. Jason thinks I lost a lot of sexual stress and that should be liberating not irritating. Of course, he also asked if he could be a substitute for one of the boys. That earned him a smack on the head.

 

Nathaniel, I think, came closest when he surmised that I was becoming everyone's mother and sexual prey. Supposedly I couldn't fathom my 'children' being lost i.e. the pack, and that I still yearned for Asher and Richard even though they could never really be mine.

 

There used to be a time when I actually had willpower against the male of the species. And that was shot to hell with the onset of the ardeur. Now I can barely keep my eyes off of any man. Sex, sex, sex. Beasts rolling, fireworks blowing, everyone has a good time.

 

It was almost three in the morning when I finally made it to the Circus of The Damned. Speaking of sex, I needed a little vampire lovin' from a certain Master of the City. I was beat and I smelled like old chicken blood. I think I'll take a shower first; Jean-Claude might appreciate it.

 

(Buffy)

 

It didn't take me too long to recover; thirty minutes or so. Richard still held me in his arms and managed to dry me off in the interim. A quick scan of the floor at my feet had let me know Sonja had indeed awoken from her concussion induced coma so that she could shift. A flame red wolf was tucked in as close as it could get to one of my leg's that hung from the chair.

 

Richard purred softly in my ear. "She hasn't left your side since she shifted."

 

Somehow that satisfied something deep within me. Sonja stirred and sat up, laying her furry head in my lap. I'm not a big fan of the half wolf/half human form, but I really liked the natural wolf look. It didn't matter that the form was entirely too large to appear normal.

 

I slipped my hand behind her ear and scratched a few strokes, letting her know everything was okay between us. She licked the back of my hand to say thanks. I know I should be saying something like ewww or I'm not your type, but it felt too right. More wolfy weirdness.

 

Sylvie chose that moment to return my clothes. I hadn't really thought about having my semi-nakedness displayed to anyone with a pair of eyes. Richard let go and I slipped my blouse back on without comment. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Richard watching my every movement. I could also feel his desire; could taste it in the air.

 

Once my shoulder holster was on and secure, I covered everything with my jacket. I definitely have to say I'm not liking this business suit thing. Maybe Bert will let me go leather instead. It's trendy, you never know.

 

Sonja was sitting at my feet; her attention to my movements as well.

 

"Sonja, shift back. We need to talk."

 

Her gaze moved to Richard.

 

"Sonja is not alpha anymore, Buffy. If she shifts back to human form she'll be asleep for about eight hours."

 

I looked back down at Sonja and she bowed her head in defeat. I nodded, "Well then, go home and get some rest, Sonja. I want to talk to you first thing tomorrow."

 

I looked around at the rest of the gathered pack then at Richard. "Does anyone know how she got her head caved in?"

 

"Effie, Norm and Sonja were caving. They got separated and heard a scream. They found Sonja like that soon after."

 

Caving? "What's caving?"

 

He smiled. "You get into your oldest clothes and crawl around in caves."

 

I didn't get it. "And this is fun, how?"

 

He laughed. "I'll take you out sometime and you can see for yourself."

 

I gave him a questioning look.

 

"We need to find out what did this, Richard."

 

His face toughened up. "I know. But not tonight."

 

I started to argue. "Richard, if anyone else gets hurt ..."

 

"I'll call Anita and let her know something's crawling around in the caves. She'll get her police buddies to make sure nobody else goes near there until it can be checked out."

 

I wasn't a big fan of letting the police do anything that involved creatures of the night, but supposedly they were trained for this kind of stuff. "I'll let it go for tonight, Richard. But after we talk to Sonja tomorrow, I'm heading out there; with or without help."

 

He took my hand in his. "I'll be with you as well as a number of our wolves."

 

We wound up taking Sonja home with us. She didn't want to leave my presence. Not that I blamed her. Having your skull caved in does that to a person. You tend to hang around people that can protect you. We tucked her into the guest bedroom, nice and cozy. Richard beeped Anita and explained what happened, then we hit the sack.

 

 

(Anita)

 

I hung the phone up. Great, another creepy-crawly. I notified Dolph, and he was sending some uniforms to the site Richard described. I told him I meet him there tomorrow and his wolf can show us where the attack took place.

 

I could tell Richard didn't want to involve the police, but he also didn't want to get any innocent bystander hurt because of the pack's insecurities about law enforcement. Sonja would have to give a statement, which was okay since she wasn't in the closet anyway. She worked at local mall and retail isn't on the no-no list for were's.

 

For once Jean-Claude didn't have anything to say, and if he did, he let it go. I knew he could hear every word of our conversation without even trying, so I didn't try to hide the fact that it was Richard. Instead I curled up under his arm and laid my head to rest against the smooth firmness of his chest.

 

I had taken up the habit of tracing the cross-shaped burn mark marring an otherwise perfect body. I don't know if it bothered him, but it soothed me. Jean-Claude's heart beat firmly under my ear. He have fed not long ago, probably in anticipation of my arrival.

 

Our relationship has become a little less strained as of late. A few of our problems had solved themselves. With Richard and Asher gone there was a lot less angst floating in the air. However, that didn't relieve the sorrow of the partings.

 

Jean-Claude was heartbroken; still is, I should say. He and Asher were as close as they would ever become since the death of Julianna. Nothing short of a sexual relationship including the three of us would have brought us closer and I couldn't deal with that aspect of their sexuality.

 

Did my prudishness drive him away and into the arms of another woman? Or was it just the marks that Willow laid on him. Did he see it as a way to escape our torment; being only paces away and never sharing in our love? Perhaps that night, weeks ago when the five of us, I'm not forgetting Jason and Nathaniel, lay here in this bed sharing ourselves; becoming one in a fury of preternatural lust. Perhaps that was a taste of what could be and never would.

 

This thought had kept me awake and in a depression for the better part of a month. Still I feel the anger at Buffy for entering my life and in return bringing Willow as well. It's irrational, I know. I've told myself time and again that it was fate or God's will or whatever, but it doesn't make the ache go away.

 

"I too miss him, ma petite."

 

Perhaps that is what I was doing here tonight when I usually went home. Sharing in our misery.

 

"Make love to me Jean-Claude. Make me forget, at least for a little while."

 

His lips were on mine with a furious passion. Our sorrow burned so great that only the deliberate act of painful love could quench the ache of our souls.

 

********************

(Buffy)

 

The sun peaked through the thick curtains. They weren't close entirely and lucky me, the only glimmer of sunshine in the entire room fell across my eyes.

 

I was about to groan when I realize what was wrong with the scene I was in. Spooning me from behind was the hard body of my lover, Richard. I liked that. I was used to that and looked forward to waking that way every day of my remaining life.

 

What was different was the body I was spooning as well. A female body in the fetal position pressed against my front. I knew it was Sonja from the moment I tried to place her scent. What I wanted to know was why she was in my bed and snuggled up with me of all people.

 

A panicked thought crossed my mind and left just as quickly that we had done more than slept together. We didn't. I'm not a homophobe, really. I just like to know who I'm sleeping with ... of who I

consented to sleep with.

 

I'm guessing my uneasiness woke Richard. I could suddenly feel him and his awareness. He lightly kissed the top of my head and peered over me to see Sonja curled up beside me.

 

"It's okay, Buffy. Think of us as a pile of puppies. She needed the comfort of her protector."

 

I nodded with my eyes, and checked to make sure she was still asleep. "Why isn't Sonja alpha anymore?"

 

"How do you mean?"

 

"When I first met her, she challenged me to a fight for the right to date you, Richard. She would have to be alpha for that to happen, right?"

 

He nodded. "I guess Sonja would best be described as borderline alpha. She's a lot more dominant than the lesser of us, but with the beating that you gave her, twice in a row. Well, I guess she's reverted a bit."

 

Whatever.

 

I threw the sheet to the side and crawled over Richard to get out of bed. "I'm taking a shower. Give a yell when sleeping beauty wakes up."

 

The shower definitely refreshed me, and steam swirled through the bathroom as I stepped out of the tub and patted myself dry. I let the towel fall to the floor and stood in front of the sink, running my palm across the oval shaped mirror. It only took a few seconds for the mirror to cloud over again , but in those moments I stared into my own eyes; the eyes of a wolf.

 

The yellow of the cornea flashed briefly and receded just as quick; letting me know I was something more than human. In my mind I know I have always been more than an average girl, however, now I'm not even human. I'm wolf.

 

The air conditioner kicked on and slowly cleared the bathroom of steam as well as defogged the mirror, and I still stood there staring. I felt my eyelids fluttering before it obstructed my vision; felt the energy deep inside working it's magic outward through my bones and tingling along my skin.

 

When it stopped I focused once again on the image in the mirror and found I was not staring at me at all. My nose had streamlined and my face thinned. The orbits of my eyes stretched out, catlike. Everything else remained the same. This pleased me.

 

"Sonja!" I called out.

 

Only a couple of seconds passed before the bathroom door opened and she stood only gazing at me briefly.

 

"Yes, my Lupa."

 

Her eyes lowered. Yes I was still unclothed and damp from the shower. I pulled a sitting stool from the side of the sink and lowered myself sensually to a sitting position.

 

"Attend me."

 

Sonja nodded and grabbed a brush off of the counter.

 

"Yes, my Lupa."

 

 

~*~Part Three~*~

 

(Anita)

 

"I swear, I'm going to destroy that damn beeper someday."

 

I don't know who I was talking to. Jean-Claude had left for his coffin hours ago. I still can't bring myself to sleep next to a corpse, and Jean-Claude doesn't even try to force the issue. I think he knows how much it creeps me out.

 

Luckily I showered before I went to sleep. I wet my hair and gooped it then made my way out to the caves. It was Dolph that had beeped me. I also called Richard before I left. I had arranged for him to be there as a guide. Normally the civvies aren't allowed near a crime scene, but if the police didn't know where to look, well it might take hours to find the place and there was no guarantee if they could find their way back out. Some of the local caves can get very intricate.

 

Dolph had known that Richard and I actually went caving once. Don't tell me how. He has his sources. So it wasn't much of a stretch to bring him along.

 

They were all waiting for me when I drove up. Richard and Sonja were leaning against his car and Dolph seemed to be hovering nearby trying to look menacing. Which for Dolph isn't that hard. At 6'8 it's difficult not to look menacing.

 

I eyed a figure inside Richard's car. Must be Buffy. Great.

 

They all waited for me to join them. Must be a party.

 

"This isn't a party, Anita." Dolph announced.

 

I tried to stare him down. I don't think I was successful. "You said Richard could be our guide. Sonja is here to give her statement."

 

He nodded. "I know about her. But I didn't approve the other one."

 

Before I reminded him about Buffy's status, Richard jumped in.

 

"Anita, I tried informing Sergeant Storr that having a preternatural expert in subterranean dwellers might be an asset in this case."

 

My eyes narrowed. Dolph seemed pleased that I wasn't pleased. "And exactly who is this expert?"

 

He turned and motioned to the figure in the car. "Ms. Alli Warisan, you remember her. She's the local werewolf's Lupa."

 

The person in the car opened the door and the moment I saw her I knew it was Buffy, just different. Her face was all wrong and her hair was in cornrows. What the hell was that about.

 

I nodded a greeting to ... Alli just to keep up appearances. She doing the same thing Raina did to keep herself anonymous. Raina also had the ability to change her facial structure for times when she need to do a little nefarious work. Her word not mine. Buffy was protecting her identity.

 

I turned to Dolph. "It wouldn't do any harm to have a second opinion, Dolph. And since she's a werewolf she can take care of herself."

 

I could tell he didn't like it. Especially when he pulled me aside.

 

"Since when do you need a second opinion, and don't think I didn't see your face when she got out of that car, Anita. You know her and you don't like her."

 

Gheez, was it that obvious? "Look, I do know her. And she is an expert. That is the only reason I would even suggest that she come along. Plus, since she's the local pack's Lupa, one word from her and Sonja's mouth goes shut. No crime to report. Then bodies start popping up dead around here. Not too good for the tourist trade."

 

Dolph got indignant without thinking. "I'll haul both of them in for obstructing justice."

 

"With what proof. The vic was a were, so there is no physical evidence of any harm. It's your word against theirs."

 

He stewed. "Fine, the more the merrier."

 

 

(Buffy)

 

I thought Anita knew better that to talk only a few feet away from a shapeshifter. Even I knew that their hearing is like twenty times a normal human's. So she doesn't like me anymore. Whatever. I've got bigger fish to fry.

 

Once Sergeant Storr motioned us over I thought I'd save us a little trouble and get the ball rolling.

 

"We waited to get Sonja's story so that she could let everyone hear."

 

Storr grinned. I could tell it was fake. Nobody likes new fish in their pond. "How nice of you Ms. Warisan."

 

I flashed him my teeth. "Anything I can do to help, officer."

 

"Sergeant. He's a sergeant. " Anita corrected.

 

I nodded. "Of course. My apologies, Sergeant ."

 

He rolled his eyes. "Let's get on with it."

 

I motioned for Sonja, and she stepped forward on command looking at me for direction.

 

"Tell us everything that happened from the moment you went into the cave, Sonja."

 

She nodded.

 

"We started out about five in the afternoon: Effie, Norm and me. It was like any other time we've been caving."

 

Anita broke in, "Isn't that a little late?"

 

She turned her head briefly in Anita's direction. "I'm a werewolf, Ms. Blake. My natural tendencies are at night."

 

"Anyway, Effie's battery died in her helmet lamp. She and Norm stopped to replace it and I continued."

 

"Why?"

 

She turned again to Anita. "Ms. Blake, if you keep interrupting me we'll never get a chance to chase the monster."

 

Anita's eyes narrowed. It looked like she was going to say something else, but Sergeant Storr laid his hand on her shoulder.

 

"We had been in this cave more than once. Everyone knew the route to take. I continued on knowing that eventually they would catch up." She paused briefly. "After about fifteen more minutes I realized something had changed. The route we normally took forked off in two directions, except this time at the fork, there were three options."

 

Sergeant Storr perked up at that revelation. "Is that possible?"

 

Richard shook his head. "Not normally, unless there has been some seismic activity, cave-in's, something to change the terrain noticeably."

 

"The area was clean ... well as clean as it normally is. Nothing to indicate that anything had changed in some time." Sonja confirmed. "There was something else: a smell. Something evil."

 

Dolph looked down at Anita. "Evil smells?"

 

She nodded. If you've never smelled evil then it's kinda hard to explain.

 

"I couldn't hear the others so I was just going to stick my nose down the new opening to see if I could get a strong sniff at what it was."

 

Her face paled a little as if the memory was very vivid.

 

"I got maybe five more feet when I heard it," she paused, " hoof-beats."

 

Apparently Anita couldn't take anymore. "Hoof-beats? In a cave?"

 

Her fear and anger washed over me in a cold chill. "I know what I heard!"

 

I restrained Sonja from edging up on Anita.

 

"Then what happened?" I asked softly.

 

She looked back at me and relaxed. "It was too dark to really make out anything more than a few feet in front of me. The light ... it couldn't penetrate the darkness the last thing I saw before ..." she swallowed, "was fire."

 

The sergeant didn't turn before asking the question. "Anita?"

 

She looked at me. "Was her skin burned?"

 

I actually had to think on that one. "No."

 

Anita rolled her eyes and bent her neck to the side as if to release tension.

 

"Some magical flames do not burn per se. It's more illusion to clothe the creature in a more threatening guise, for instance. Some demons are known for this type of camouflage. And if that's the case then we need a priest." She shook her head discounting the suggestion. "But I don't think it's a demon."

 

"Why not?" Sergeant Storr asked.

 

"Sonja wouldn't be standing here if it was a demon."

 

"Ms. Warisan, what's your take?"

 

I shrugged my shoulders. "Could be any number of hoofed creatures." I tried to look thoughtful. "Possibly a gorgon."

 

He looked a little clouded in disbelief. "You mean like Medusa?"

 

I shook my head. "No, Medusa was a medusa. They are a class in themselves. The Gorgon are a subterranean bull-like creature that emits a breath weapon that can petrify its prey. Then in turn they are summarily eaten. So that's out.

 

"Perhaps a Ki-Rin. They are a sort of a cross between a dragon and a unicorn. They are highly intelligent, but tend to only strike when threatened and they are herbivores."

 

Anita shook her head. "Ki-Rin are extinct. Have been for over two-hundred years."

 

I could think of one other creature that might be associated with flame and the equine, but I reserved my opinion until I saw the site. "We can speculate all we want, but until we actually get down there and have a look around I won't be able to help you."

 

 

(Anita)

 

She made some decent suggestions. Makes me wonder what's been crawling around in her universe. Dolph made the marching orders with himself in the lead, Richard next, Buffy after him, and me leading up the rear. Zerbrowski stayed with the two uniforms and Sonja back at the entrance.

 

I had gone caving with Richard only once while we were dating. The equipment was much the same: helmet with light, and a backpack with minimal tools and food. This cave was much like the one we had explored, dank and dark.

 

There really wasn't much to see and I didn't have to duck near as much as the other three to avoid a low ceiling or five, which was a plus. After about an hour or so we approached the area Sonja had described. It was the one and only place in the cave where the route forked off in two directions. One led to a southern exit and the other pushed off deeper to a inner cavern where most people go to say things like ahhh and ohhh. Maybe it's me, I just don't get it.

 

Richard got Dolph's attention. "It's just up ahead. Be careful."

 

Dolph stopped and took a quick look around, much the same way that I was; trying to judge the threat potential. He looked back at me, I guess to see if I was holding the Browning, which I was. It wasn't like I'd be able to shoot anything that jumped out at us. I was just here to make sure nothing cut off our way out if need be.

 

I guess he took my cue and pulled out his pistol. I noted that the squad finally got the requisition order filled for the new standard sidearm. The police issue .38 revolvers weren't getting the job done. Six shots was rapidly become a liability when you go up against shape shifters, vamps, and other highly tough preternatural creatures. Plus speed was a factor.

 

That's why Dolph requested the Heckler & Koch P7M13 for all of his detectives. It added an additional seven shots and you didn't have to worry about clicking off the safety, the grip was the safety. One squeeze and you were ready to fire. Sure it might not seem like a lot, but a lot of people trip up on the trigger safety causing them a second or two in response time. And when you have something moving at the speed of blur you need all the seconds you can get. Cops love this gun.

 

I also knew that he had it loaded with silver ammo. After Zerbrowski almost had his intestines handed to him last year. I bought each of them a case nice big box of silver ammo. It's only money. So we should be ready for anything short of the Fey and I seriously doubt that we are looking for a fairy horse in these caves.

 

I saw Dolph turn back around and continue for a few more steps. "I thought she said there were three ways to go. It's just a regular fork."

 

"Move, Richard." Buffy huffed and pushed her way passed.

 

Dolph held up a hand to keep her from cutting him off as well. "Ms. Warisan, I did not say the area was secure. I can't let civilians endanger themselves."

 

"Then why the hell am I down here, Sergeant."

 

"Advisory capacity only. You don't get to see any action."

 

She seem to seethe under the light from Dolph's helmet.

 

"Sergeant, something down here nearly killed one of my pack. Don't think for a minute that you or anyone else is ..."

 

"Alli don't." Richard almost growled.

 

A warm wind hit me in the face. However, only three people felt it. Richard was asserting himself as Ulfric, trying to calm Buffy's beast and Dolph didn't have a clue. He was what I call a complete null. He wouldn't know if the grand high poobah was sitting right in front of him; he was that magically insensitive.

 

"Richard, why else am I down here. I'm the only one here that has a chance of tracking this thing. These caves are long enough without traipsing around going 'duh, that way or that way.'"

 

Everyone but Dolph knew that was a boldface lie; Richard could, I could, Zerbrowski could even have had a hunch at guessing which way to go or what to look for, but apparently everyone but Buffy had something to hide, and Zerbrowski was way back at the entrance to the cave.

 

Dolph squinted his cop eyes at Buffy. "Fine, let the nice head crushing creature have you for breakfast. I'm tired of these damn caves."

 

I bet he was. Caving isn't really for people much over 5'10 or 5'11. Dolph was 6'8. If he didn't have his helmet on he'd have a concussion by now.

 

Buffy squeezed past his muscled bulk and started sniffing at the mouth of the two passageways. It wasn't really like a dog sniffing at the ground but it was close enough. Her hands ran over the dividing wall and down around the right side of the cave wall then stopped about chest level.

 

"Anita."

 

She motioned me forward. With my left hand I pulled out a small Mag-Light and twisted the head to a narrow beam. I saw where she was pointing and hit it with the light.

 

"Can you see it?" She asked.

 

I looked closer and at first I was going to say 'see what?' but once I actually concentrated I saw a very thin outline. "Anyone got a lighter?"

 

Richard reached into his backpack and handed me a Bic. I turned the little flame regulator as high as it could go and lit it. The flame didn't reach out more than half an inch. "It's not going to be enough. Hold on. Someone give me some light."

 

Dolph took my Mag-Lite and gave me the asked for illumination. I holstered the Browning and went to work on the Bic: tossing the protective metal guard and snapping the regulator off of the lighter. I spun the wheel again and flicked the striker. A whoosh of flame emitted about six inches from the head. I immediately held it over the thin outline that Buffy was still pointing at. It only took a moment to catch and when it did, my stomach fell.

 

An imprint vaguely resembling a hoof print started glowing on the side of the freaking wall. I knew Buffy had already guessed what it was and now I knew for a fact. It was a Nightmare.

 

 

Part 4

 

(Buffy)

 

We returned to the cave entrance. There wasn't much more we could do at the moment. I had my own ideas about the Nightmare and what it was doing in near St. Louis at this particular time. I wanted to see what Anita thought about it first.

 

Sergeant Storr was not in a real cheerful mood by the time he exited the darkness. He stretched his back from being slumped over for so long and popped more than a few vertebrae in the process.

 

"Anita, tell me about Nightmares."

 

She took off her helmet and shook her hair out. "They were supposed to be a myth, Dolph." She seemed a little shook up. "All I know is Nightmares were blamed for their namesake. They were supposed to carry a demonic rider through openings in people's homes, preferably keyholes ..."

 

"Keyholes ..." Storr said with some reluctance.

 

"Yeah, they don't exist on the same plane of reality that we do. They are supposed to be able to shift in and out of a ghost-like form and do their dirty work that way. I have no idea what one would be doing in a cave in Missouri, though."

 

Storr turned to me. "Any ideas Ms. Warisan?"

 

"The only thing I have to add is their hoofs and nostrils emit magical flame. That's how we were able to find the tracks on the cave wall."

 

He seemed to consider that for a moment. "How do you explain the third entrance that Ms. ... Sonja mentioned and its absence when we arrived?"

 

I shrugged my shoulders. "Got me, Sheriff."

 

He rolled his eyes in mild annoyance. "Did you smell anything in there?"

 

I shook my head. "Nothing out of the ordinary."

 

"Fine," he looked at Sonja, "we'll take your statement at the station and you can go."

 

Sonja looked to me for permission and I nodded then turned and made for Richard's car. I didn't wait for him to say his goodbye's I was tired and cranky and I wanted a shower, maybe a little sex, and a nap before I had to train again tonight.

 

It didn't take Richard long to make his excuses and leave the party. He threw his helmet and pack in the trunk then slid into the driver's side, clicking his seatbelt into place.

 

"What was that all about," he almost snapped at me.

 

I felt the fire come to my eyes. "I don't like to be around her, Richard."

 

His brow knitted, showing his confusion. "Anita?"

 

I shook my head. "She blames me for everything, Richard. Losing you, Asher, and the pack. It's like she's not queen bee anymore and she's taking it out on me."

 

"I'll talk to her."

 

"No."

 

"Buffy if it's bothering you this much, maybe you shouldn't be working with her. I make more than enough money and with the Cafe ..."

 

My eyes flared again. "Me quit? Why should I quit?"

 

His eyes fluttered in recognition of making a major error. "That's not what I meant."

 

"Take me home, Richard."

 

He tried to take my hand and I flinched away.

 

"Buffy," he said quietly.

 

I kept staring out of the side window trying to ignore him.

 

"Am I still your baby?"

 

Dammit.

 

"Yeah," I said reluctantly.

 

He grabbed my hand again and pulled me close, pressing his lips against mine, softly. I relented and pressed my hand through the opening in his shirt. The kiss deepened and I extended my claws a little and dug them into his skin followed by the heat in my mouth increasing, pressing the kiss harder and harder. The smell of blood hit the air and I was instantly wet, desiring the hardness that was trapped under the tightness of his jeans.

 

I broke the kiss and hugged him tight, my eyes turned away and looked out the side window watching Anita watching us, and I smiled, letting her know I saw.

 

*****************

 

Our sweat soaked bodies slid together one last time before he finally exploded inside. I collapsed on top of him and took in his scent. I was covered with him and he with me, but it was never enough. My eyes fluttered open and I watched as the blood from the claw marks I had made on his chest slowly started to clot. It still amazed me how fast lycanthropes can heal. It would take him a little longer to heal my marks, because injuries caused by a shifter heal almost human fast. If we keep going like this we are going to go through a lot of beds.

 

"God, Richard that was fucking great."

 

He stiffened though not too much. "I don't think I've heard you use that word, Buffy."

 

I smirked. "Apparently I've been doing a lot of things lately that I haven't done before." I slid my tongue along one of the cuts taking his essence into me. He stiffened in response ... in more ways than one.

 

I smiled as I felt the harness under my leg. "So soon again, my honey wolf?"

 

His reaction was one I wasn't expecting. He just about jumped out of the bed, tossing me over the side in a tumbled mess.

 

"Why did you call me that!"

 

I came to my knees and noticed that a certain portion of body wasn't happy anymore.

 

"Duh, your wolf fur is honey colored."

 

He knew I spoke the truth, but it made no difference. "Don't ever call me that again."

 

I looked around the room in wondered submission. "Okayy. Overreact much?"

 

"It's ..." I could see something wasn't right with his reaction. "Raina used to call me that."

 

"Ah." No explanation needed other than why was he so scared of the she-bitch from hell's sex kitchen since she been long dead for over a year now.

 

He brushed his fingers through his hair with his eyes close, letting the tension wash away. I got to my feet and closed on him letting my hand caress his broad chest.

 

"She's dead, Richard."

 

He nodded his head. "She'll never be gone, Buffy."

 

I went up on the balls of my feet and trailed kisses along his collarbone. He sighed lightly. With his cooperation I turned him and laid his too hard body on the sheets once more with me trailing along after.

 

"Let, Buffy make the bad girl go away."

 

He chuckled.

 

My mouth found the cuts again and tongued then softly coaxing a little painful pleasure from his tight muscles. In a few moments he was back at full attention and I took advantage of the situation sheathing myself atop his massive member. Whimpering sounds left my lips as they do every time we do this. My thighs tightened on his hips and my nails raked down his chest slowly letting him know I loved every inch of his body.

 

I clutched him inside and massaged the length with muscles that just shouldn't be there. This drew it's desired reaction from his mouth. My body folded along his up and down tasting the freshly opened wounds again and again until I could not hold on any longer.

 

I felt the lightness in my head expand and my claws extend to their full length. The change was coming on and I let my beast have its way. Richard didn't mind, but he never changed when we had sex. I experimented with it on occasion. So he was in a poor position to defend himself when I tore him open.

 

His eyes snapped open at the first deep gash. In shock he didn't know what was happened until it was too late. The blood splashed upon me and I was lost in its lust. His screams and denials were gravy for my feast.

 

Richard tried throwing me from him, but I had too tight of a hold and his attempts were fruitless. However I still had the presence of mind to end this before he became ruthless. I wasn't sure who could win in a fair battle, and I wasn't going to give him the chance to find out.

 

My hand whipped out and found his throat, ripping deep into his neck I ended his struggles once and for all. The climax coursed through my body and I screamed in response.

 

I walked from the room covered in my lovers blood, basking in the aftermath I fully transformed wolf form and bounded out the back door into the tree line behind the house.

 

 

(Anita)

 

"I swear if she keeps this up I'm gonna ..."

 

Jean-Claude sat behind his desk at Guilty Pleasures doing the dutiful boyfriend thing and listened to me bitch.

 

"Do what, ma petite?"

 

My face cringed. "I'm gonna do the same thing I do every night: bitch and moan about it until you distract me with something else."

 

He laughed sending the velvety coolness down my spine I've so often hated but came to need.

 

"Is this my cue, cheri?"

 

I nodded and he was by my side a moment later being held and rocked in his warm embrace. He couldn't have fed more than an hour ago. He was still warm from his last meal. Where was Jason anyway? I hadn't seen him the last few days and as much as it pains me to say this, I miss his flirting.

 

Jean-Claude shuddered. I thought it was just my close proximity until I felt it coursing through my body as well.

 

"Ma petite ..."

 

The shielding Jean-Claude normally keeps up between the three of us in the triumvirate came crashing down around our minds. Richard was in trouble somewhere and it was a lethal kind of trouble. How do I know? If he dies there is an excellent chance that he'll take me and Jean-Claude with him. He was dying because we were.

 

"RICHARD!"

 

 

Author's note: I know I'm a bitch for leaving it here. Tell me all about it and leave a comment on my message board at

http://www.voy.com/126552/

Comments speed along the writing progress. Hint hint.

 

 

~*~Part Five~*~

 

(Anita)

 

A crushing weight pressed against my chest sapping every ounce of strength I had. My body jerked; convulsed once. Jean-Claude grabbed my wrist and I felt the familiar energies of the triumvirate ignite. His shields went up again protecting me from Richard's pain enough so that I could turn into him.

 

"We have to help him."

 

Jean-Claude nodded quickly. I could see the concentration in his face. "I need your blood, Anita."

 

I didn't waste anytime ripping my left sleeve open and tearing off the wrist sheath. He took my proffered arm, with no preamble, and sunk fang into me. The power flared between us and through our link to Richard filling him with everything we could spare. The feeling of helplessness overwhelmed me as I tried to reach out and feel if he was --- alive.

 

A silent wind picked up around the room tossing the black lace of the canopy back and forth. My eyes went to the door as I kept waiting for Asher to come running to our rescue. This time he would not appear.

 

A sharp pain lanced up my arm and I knew Jean-Claude was done sucking the life out of me. He opened his eyes and I almost fell into the dark wells of his pupils. There was only the barest glimmer of the midnight blue of his cornea.

 

My breath caught, "Is he ..."

 

Jean-Claude nodded, "He will survive, ma petite. But I do not know if he is in further danger. He is unconscious."

 

I reached out to find him, "Quit blocking him out."

 

"As you wish."

 

Nothing.

 

"I can't feel him, Jean-Claude."

 

 

(Buffy/Raina)

 

The feel of the wind rushing across my fur is unlike anything I can describe. The taste of blood dripping from my fangs, the feel of my first kill in this form, the exhilaration of the act of ripping into another human coursed though my veins like an adrenaline high.

 

Being dead isn't all its cracked up to be. Having to suffer the indignities at the hands of the imposter Lupa, Anita Blake was almost more than I could bare.

 

Oh, I can't tell you how excited I was when she was kicked out on her self-righteous ass by this delectable piece of ass. Buffy Summers, can you feel anything at all? I wonder if you were as pumped as I was when we tore into Richard. The orgasm that ripped through me from seeing his eyes when I ripped out his throat was one of the most satisfying of my life and death.

 

So much vengeance was owed him after the way he and his bitch destroyed my rule. Don't think for one moment that Marcus, my beloved Ulfric wasn't under my control the entire time. There was nothing in the world like my loving caress to him, but he was getting old and unreliable. If only Richard dumped the zombie queen and took me in her stead ... things could have been so much more profitable.

 

We make due with what we can. Such as this body.

 

I had resigned myself to oblivion in death, finding release through the munin. However when our beloved Buffy showed up and took her place by Richard on the throne I knew something was different about her; something that I could get a hold of.

 

When we melded that night in the lupanar I felt her power. So sweet it was to taste true strength at the back of my throat, but not the right kind of strength. She is not of this world, and that gave me the foothold I needed to take her. It was hard at first and she purged me without much difficulty, but each time she called the munin I had more and more purchase on her body without letting her regain complete control.

 

The hard part was making her think the changes in her personality were only a side effect of becoming pack. Richard missed the signs also, and that was his own fault. I mean how stupid do you have to be to realize that if you rearrange the name Alli Warisan it spells Raina Wallis. Pathetic huh? Hapless ass!

 

I saw my chance when Sonja was brought in on death's door. Buffy used so much of herself in the attempt to save Sonja that I stepped in and pushed her back into the recesses of her own mind while she lay unconscious on Richard's lap. Nobody even saw that the munin was never called. Too distracted by the raw power this girl holds. Too used to the way Anita Blake practices her version of what it means to be Lupa.

 

I am the true Lupa and had been for years before she arrived on the scene. I know all the ways of the pack and have, to my regret, attempted very few. It was pride that kept me from killing Blake and rage at Gabriel's death that I lost my mind and tried to destroy her the old fashion way, with my claws. I paid the price for my vanity, and died. I have returned with much humility and even more ... a desire for vengeance.

 

Now that I am in control of this body I plan on making a few changes. Before, I didn't have the strength. Oh sure I could have taken almost anyone in the pack in fair combat, but the margin of error was slim that I would be able to retain my desired position. But now with this body I have as much power as Richard with none of the weak-assed morals.

 

Soon I shall be Ulfric and Anita Blake will lay at my feet and beg for mercy before I eat her heart.

 

 

(Anita)

 

It didn't take long to find him, what was left of him that is. Louie, found him after we put out the all points bulletin. He lived closest to Richard and had volunteered to check out his house for any clues to his whereabouts.

 

Louie took him to Dr. Lillian's underground clinic where Jean-Claude and I plus bodyguards out the wazoo met up afterwards. The bloodsmell hit me before I even reached the door to the basement, and I recognized it like it was my own B.O.

 

My hands were shaking when I tapped on the door. A wererat answered and stood to the side to let us in. The area was curtained off in four or five sections, but I knew exactly were my ex-boyfriend was immediately.

 

Seconds before I reached the area, Louie stepped out from behind the curtain. "Anita, you shouldn't see this."

 

I didn't even think before the Browning was in my hand. "Stand aside, Louie. Richard's mine. I don't give a crap if he's in someone else's bed. He's mine to protect."

 

Louie held up both his hands. "Anita, that's not what I mean and you know it. He's in bad shape. Nobody should see someone they love in this ..."

 

I cursed myself for overreacting and lowered the Browning. "I'm sorry." Waiting for a reaction wasn't high on my priority list and I pushed past him and the curtain.

 

"Richard ... oh my god!"

 

He lay there, tubes running in and out of him. Dr. Lillian caught my eye.

 

"Anita, he needs to be in a hospital. I don't have the facilities to treat wounds this bad. But they won't let me call an ambulance."

 

I would have agreed with her except that I had Jean-Claude's word and my own connection to Richard to know he would be okay, eventually. He wasn't in danger of dying, just scarred.

 

I holstered the Browning and slipped my coat off along with the shoulder harness. Jean-Claude took them from me and held out his hand for the shirt that soon followed. I was going to call the munin and skin to skin was best for the healing.

 

"Someone give me a hand getting up on the table. I don't want to injure him any further." Hands lifted me up and sat me carefully astraddle his thighs. I didn't notice who helped, my eyes were for Richard only.

 

I closed my eyes and imagined his firm body under mine and the smell of his scent as it surrounded me so long ago. Just the sight of Richard naked was enough to get the juices flowing and I had a very good imagination. My hands slid up his firm thighs and across his rippling abdomen. I waited for the munin and the warm wind it normally rises. I called it and begged for it, but it never came.

 

"It's not working. Dammit!" I looked at Jean-Claude "It's not working."

 

He closed his eyes briefly in regret. "I was afraid of this, ma petite. The pack has a new Lupa and apparently the munin does not recognize you as pack anymore." He paused. "However you have other powers."

 

My mind went blank for a moment. Then it finally came to me. "I won't sacrifice someone to save him, Jean-Claude."

 

He was referring to a few months ago when I used my necromancer powers, the power I used to raise the dead to suck the life out of Chimera. It had filled us with almost godlike power, and I was able to channel that through to Jean-Claude and Richard at the same time. But that power had a cost; Chimera's life.

 

"I do not propose that you take any single life, ma petite, but a little from each of us present. Perhaps if Louis can arrange for a few more participants the side effects to everyone will be minimal."

 

I had never even considered using my power in such a way, but knowing Jean-Claude he had been plotting from day one he found out about the power. Machiavellian son-of-a-bitch. But he had a point. Theoretically it could work, and I thought it over.

 

"Maybe, but I'd want at least ten more people in here all lycanthrope."

 

Louie nodded. "No problem, Anita. Give me fifteen minutes."

 

I counted every second and looked at each mark on Richard in the interim. The conclusion was easy enough. Shapeshifter. But what the hell was strong enough to defeat Richard. I looked the rest of him over. Something was wrong.

 

"He's not bruised."

 

Dr. Lillian nodded. "I noticed that too. It was someone he knew."

 

Nobody could have gotten that close to him without a serious fight and lycanthrope fights result in more than claws marks. Usually big nasty bruises are the most common ailment. Broken bones, second most common. Only fights to the death result in gashes such as these. That only left the one conclusion, it had to be someone close to Richard and that drew the list down some, but not far enough to speculate reliably.

 

Louie's fifteen minutes were up and I let him know it. "LOUIE!"

 

The basement door opened and the shuffle of many feet made their way to the curtained area.

 

"Everyone surround the bed, hand in hand."

 

I slipped a knife out of my wrist sheath and held it loosely. My power was much easier to call than the munin. No imagination needed. I've been doing this almost every night for the last nine years. It was second nature to call it and direct it to my purpose.

 

Once it hung in the air around me I needed blood. I slid it quickly across my left wrist and let the knife fall to the floor.

 

"This may feel a little weird. Anyone that wants to back out, go now."

 

Not a soul moved. And I let my power reach out to the group tasting their collective life energy, siphoning just a little from each and channeling it through myself to Richard, a little at a time. I wanted to heal him and harm the others as little as possible. In this one thing I felt completely in control. This is my power. This is my gift, what I was born to do. I was in complete control.

 

I heard gasps come from someone's mouth and I knew why. My eyes had changed to compete black with bits of starlight in the background; a side effect of the power. I wasn't sure if Jean-Claude's had turned and I was damn sure Richards had. He was getting every ounce of the power.

 

I felt him twitch under me and I looked down at his face. I couldn't heal him with the power. He wasn't dead, but he could use the power himself to heal. But he needed to be awake. in order to do so.

 

"Richard."

 

His eyes snapped open and he gasped.

 

"Use the power to heal yourself Richard."

 

His starlit black eyes comprehended my request and I watched as his throat filled out and the worst cuts knitted themselves together before my eyes. I know it was taking almost everything he had to stay awake. I was forcing him and he needed rest more than anything else, but only after we got him out of the danger zone.

 

Once his throat completely filled out I let go of the link and everyone stepped back as if by some unsaid command. Richard closed his eyes back and his face contorted in agony.

 

"Richard, what's wrong? Are you in pain?"

 

Tears slid from the corners of his eyes. "Buffy ... why?"

 

He breathed in deeply and passed out from the exertion.

 

I felt the pressure rising from deep inside my body. "Jean-Claude?"

 

"Oui." He was by my side and lifted me off of Richard before I even asked.

 

"The bitch is dead. She doesn't know it yet, but she just signed her own death warrant."

 

"Oui."

 

 

Part Six

 

(Anita)

 

"It's not your place to avenge him, Anita."

 

I finished buttoning my shirt and Jean-Claude handed me the shoulder holster, so I let Louie ramble on.

 

"It's pack business, Anita."

 

I just gave him eyes. I don't think he appreciated it much.

 

"You aren't pack anymore."

 

I popped the clip out on the Browning and double checked the load, slid it back in with a satisfying click and pulled back the slide letting it snap back into place chambering a round, ready to go. "I think you are missing something here, Louie."

 

"What's that?"

 

"I don't give a fuck."

 

He grimaced. "If Richard was awake he would stop you. You know he would."

 

I did. "Louie, killing Richard is not what this was about. Jean-Claude and I could have died tonight, and I'm not about to let her live after that."

 

I'm guessing he didn't have anything to say to that, but I wasn't going to stay and listen if he did.

 

"Dr. Lillian, is there a phone I can use?"

 

She tried to look like she wasn't paying attention, but it's hard not to when we were only standing five feet away. She pointed. I thanked. The phone was picked up after two rings.

 

Nathaniel answered. "Blake residence."

 

"Nathaniel. I need Micah." He didn't take offense that I dispensed with the niceties. He was like that. Two shakes later Micah was on the phone.

 

"Anita?"

 

"Micah, gather the pard, fighters only, we're hunting werewolf tonight."

 

I could hear his eyebrow arching ... don't ask. "When and where."

 

I only had the scene of the crime to go on. "Richard's house, now."

 

Now he was genuinely surprised. "We're hunting the Ulfric?"

 

Enough with the pleasantries. "Micah, Richard was almost killed tonight by his Lupa. We're are going to hunt her down and ..."

 

"Give me thirty minutes."

 

It probably wasn't a good idea to say you are going to kill someone over the phone. You never know who is listening. I hung up and headed to the door. Jean-Claude was waiting, holding it open for me. I gave him the evil eye, but held myself back. Who says I can't be nice to someone for opening the door for me?

 

 

(Buffy/Raina)

 

Well she's not bawling or too extremely pissed off. I guess Richard made it. I could feel some portion of me in a very happy mood and knew immediately it was Buffy. She's still kicking under the shields I put up. No matter, I'm in control now.

 

I wonder where you are off to now, Anita. Hmmm. Perhaps a little wolf hunt? Well there's no playing around this time. I left ten different scent trails out of Richard's house. Imagine how surprised I was when I came back and he was gone. It only took me a few moments to find a suitable outfit and the little surprise hanging on the back of the closet door. Then a little extra time for the false trails to follow. Just enough time for me to pick off a few of her precious buddies before the final showdown.

 

With the defeat of their little Triumvirate the pack should have no trouble accepting my leadership as Ulfric. Everything I've ever desired is only a few hours away.

 

(Anita)

 

Micah came though the back door of Richard's house with a frown on his face. Merle was right behind him similarly faced.

 

"She could be anywhere , Anita." He paused. "Her scent is everywhere. She's spent a lot of time here and it's gonna make tracking a bitch."

 

I was edging on getting pissed. "Nothing?"

 

Micah shook his head. "Just the opposite. She's all over the place."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

He leaned up against the wall. "It's like she knew she would be tracked and left so many scent trails so we would be chasing our tails for a long time before we found the right one, and then it would be too late.

 

I was a hunter. I knew what that meant. Buffy would have plenty of time to do whatever she wanted and have us in her sights whenever it was comfortable for her. That finally clicked off a spark in my head.

 

"She could be watching us right now."

 

"Laughing her fool head off." Merle added.

 

I turned in place and faced the living room where Jean-Claude had made himself at home.

 

"Any thoughts?"

 

He closed his eyes slowly and reopened them. "I believe we are expending our energy fruitlessly. The next move is hers. We have only to consolidate our resources and await her arrival."

 

My vision narrowed. "You're saying I should make sure everyone is safe, sit on my ass and do nothing."

 

His laughter slid down my spine like warm velvet. "Oui. Bring your cats to the circus. They will be safe there. I shall have Jason alert the pack that they should be wary of their Lupa, for now."

 

"For now?" I didn't like the sound of that.

 

"Oui. It will not take Richard long to recover from his wounds. Once he returns, I assume he will have a different outlook on the situation."

 

"You mean he's not gonna let me do my job."

 

"Ma petite, to the pack it is not your job to do."

 

Well that just chaps my ass. Jean-Claude was right. Richard would not let me murder Buffy in cold blood. Pack politics would rule out in the end. But only if they reach her first.

 

"Then we can't go underground and wait her out. It has to be finished now."

 

Jean-Claude rose from the couch as if pulled by strings and strode toward me. "And how, prey tell, do we finish this if we have no idea of the Lupa's location?"

 

 

(Raina/Buffy)

 

Just a little bit more to the right you undead freak of nature. The seconds were ticking away. I've been exposed for far to long in the front yard of Richard's home. Invariably one of her kitties will wander around the house and I would have to make a run for it. I had purposely left most of my scent trails out back and the front curtains open so I would have this chance.

 

My index finger hovered above the safety of Buffy's pistol and finally depressed it into the firing position. I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, waiting for the Master of the City to move.

 

Movement from the woods to the left of the house caught my attention. Dammit! I can't wait any longer. The tree I was hiding behind wasn't big enough to cover me at that angle so I had to make the best of a bad situation. I re-centered my aim on a different target and fired twice.

 

 

(Anita)

 

I don't know which I noticed first: the sound of a pistol going off or the front window shattering and exploding inward littering glass across the room. The next thing I knew Jean-Claude had pushed me to the floor. At least he had the forethought to not lay on me impeding me from going for my guns.

 

"Dammit, she's out front." I took a quick scan around to see if anyone had been hit. Micah was on his knees grasping his left shoulder, grimacing in pain.

 

His eyes met mine. "Silver."

 

More shots were heard from out front. That's when I knew it would be safe to stick my head up. If she's shooting someone else I should be safe, in theory. There she was behind the big tree, using it for cover. I crab crawled to the front door and swung it open. All the guys were safe behind the furniture and in the kitchen, so I had a reasonably clear area to maneuver.

 

I heard her laughter above the yelling of my cats. At least they were playing it safe and hiding beside the house until she either had to reload or made a run for it.

 

"Did I get him, Anita?" She yelled.

 

I looked back at Micah. "You're a crap shot, Buffy." I replied.

 

She laughed again. "Oh well, maybe next time."

 

It didn't take me long. "There won't be a next time. You're gonna be dead in just a few minutes."

 

"You can't kill me, Anita. You try and try and I keep coming back."

 

Huh?

 

"Tell Richard that the challenge is on. In three days I'm going to be Ulfric."

 

At that I saw her make a dash for the line of bushes to the left of the driveway. I followed. My cats were beside me, but we were way too late. We were quick but she had a motorcycle waiting on the other side and was gone in seconds. I didn't even have a chance to get a shot off. There were too many things I could hit in the background.

 

Zane brushed against my arm. "Did you hear her?"

 

I nodded. "We'll find her before the three days are up. She still doesn't know this town well enough to hide that well."

 

I guess he didn't think he was getting though, because he turned and stepped in front of me. "That wasn't what I was talking about. Did you hear her laugh? That wasn't Buffy."

 

Someone should have hit me on the head with a frying pan, 'cause I finally got it: Richard's attack, the attempt on Micah's life, the bid for Ulfric, her little statement about trying to kill her again and again, and that damned laugh. It was Raina, back from the fucking dead.

 

 

Part Seven

 

(Raina/Buffy)

 

Three days was easy; waiting was not. I spent most of my time getting used to Buffy's body and it's obvious lack of height. I had lost almost four inches, and it took a while for my mind to adjust to the addition of her slayer reflexes. It was like being on speed. I still remember what that was like before becoming Lukoi. Now it's just a waste of money. By the time a drug took effect the high was over and not worth the money.

 

However with Buffy's added power I knew I had what it took to finally kill Richard and his ex-pet girlfriend, Anita, and take control of what was, by right, mine.

 

After my workout I threw my sweat-soaked towel in the clothes hamper and stopped by the bathroom to turn on the water and add my bath-beads. The steam rose off the tub as it filled with bubbles. While I waited I took stock of my new features in the mirror. I took the bindings off of the cornrows and worked my hair loose over time.

 

Lowering myself into the overly hot water was almost as good as shooting the slut's newest boy-toy. I could almost picture the scene in my mind. "Micah, my leopard lover, the goddess Raina has injured you. What ever am I going to do? I'm nothing without my limp-dick vampire and my moaning worthless mewing cats. I might as well shoot myself here and now, but you would only turn me into a monster to save my life and I can't have that. Oh screw it, I'm going to boink one of my zombies." Yeah, I bet it was a lot like that.

 

The bubbles were absolute heaven with their silky touch sliding all over my body. I dunked my head and washed out my new golden strands. I wasn't much of a fan of blondes but it suited this body. Now all I needed was a decent tan. I don't think this girl had seen the sun for five years.

 

~*~

 

When the last of the water slid down the drain I showered off the remaining suds and stepped from the tub, not minding the water that was dripping heavily from my body. This would be the last day in this 'hideout.' Anita would be so pissed if she knew where I was and, well, that's why I chose it in the first place. Never mind that the current tenant disapproved of my presence, or that his body was neatly packed in the clothes dryer as payment for services rendered.

 

He thought he was in for a night of fun, but instead he got his heart squeezed by my hand. I was only mildly disappointed to find out the human heart doesn't actually beat after it's ripped out of the chest. I'll give him his due though. It was tasty.

 

I slipped into my black leather and high heels and strode out the door with no more than a casual glance at the rat dog at my feet and almost bumped into my temporary next door neighbor.

 

"Custard, get back here this instant."

 

The little golden furball was actually growling at me so I kicked it across the hall and back into the old bat's apartment. It's yelp of pain was only the beginning of a what was going to be a very satisfying night.

 

 

(Anita)

 

Yeah, Richard was pissed when he finally woke up. That was yesterday and tonight was the challenge for Ulfric. The thing that makes this challenge different from normal is that it's to the death. The only option left to Richard is to voluntarily step down, and he would never do that. That's the thing with alpha wolves: stubborn, high and mighty ideals whether they be for the good or bad of the pack, and Richard was the most idealistic S.O.B. in St. Louis.

 

He spent most of the time he had left waiting, in a funk. I had tried time and again to let him let me take care of the situation with a high powered rifle from a nice safe distance. Some would suspect that it was me, but nobody would know for sure. Hell, I could even get Edward to do the hit. He'd probably do it for free. Richard wouldn't even let me offer. He knew what was floating around in my mind.

 

So I vowed that if I couldn't do it my way, I'd end run him and use my other god-given abilities. Namely I'd needed to find out a few things from the only other Necromancer in the St. Louis area that would speak to me, John Burke.

 

John stood about six-feet tall. He was dark-complected and sported a pencil thin goatee. If I didn't know any better I'd think he'd walked straight off of a vampire movie, especially with that lock of white hair just over his forehead. He was that cheesy looking. That he had a talent as a vaudun priest was truly advantageous to his profession.

 

He was celebrated in New Orleans as their greatest animator and vampire executioner, but things being as they are, he got in some trouble with the N.O.P.D. and wound up being a suspect in several murders. Sound like someone you know? We tried going out a couple of times, but John really didn't like dating a female version of himself. No big loss.

 

I stood outside his rental house firmly knocking on the door. I had tried the doorbell, but as I, John was a late sleeper. It came with the job. After only two minutes I heard a voice from within telling me to lay off the door or lose a hand. That was John. He open the door and blurry-bloodshot eyes peered out from a crack between it and the doorframe.

 

"Anita."

 

"John, sorry to wake you but I need some help."

 

 

His eyebrows arched in quiet astonishment. Yeah, most people will never hear those words coming from my mouth. I didn't have much time to spare and I was willing to let loose of a little pride for Richard's sake.

 

He ushered me inside and paused a second to check behind me to see if I was followed or whatever. Once he was satisfied he closed the door and bolted it shut.

 

"What's up?"

 

I'd never been inside his house before. It was as much as I'd imagined it; namely Spartan. There were a couple of pictures here and there framing the black leather love seat and matching recliner. I was betting the main show was in the basement.

 

"What do you know about the munin."

 

He shook his head in non-recognition. "The who?"

 

I sighed. "The munin are spirits of dead werewolves."

 

He motioned me to the love seat and I sat. He secured his robe and took the recliner. "A spirit is a spirit. You should know that as well as I, Anita. It doesn't matter whether or not if it is were."

 

I tried to put him straight. "The were's are different. They can take possession of pack members that either have an affinity with the supernatural or are psychic." I always thought those that claimed to be psychic were touched by the supernatural. There are arguments for both sides.

 

"Possession is not unheard of. Though the cases mostly involve maligned demons not restless spirits."

 

"This is no demon. Evil defiantly, but she's no demon."

 

"Really, remarkable." He was becoming increasingly interested. I'd had a feeling that John had seen pretty much everything in the realm of the undead through his voodoo experience.

 

"John, I need your help to exorcize this spirit. Do you think it's possible?"

 

He fingered his goatee and nodded thoughtfully. "In theory it's possible as long as the body containing the spirit still contains the original soul."

 

I blinked a couple of times. "I have no reason to believe that would be a problem."

 

He nodded. "Good. How much time do we have?"

 

I looked at my watch. "About eight hours."

 

He rose from his seat. "Fine, I need to take a shower."

 

His eyes stayed on me a little longer than I was comfortable with. "I assume that Vaughn doesn't get wind of this?"

 

I nodded.

 

"Then there will be a debt from you to me."

 

I cringed inwardly for a moment. I didn't expect to get away scott- free. "You know what I won't do, John. Anything past that and you have a deal."

 

He smiled grimly and turned away.

 

 

(Raina/Buffy)

 

There wouldn't be any guns allowed in the Lupinar and since Richard had been officially challenged I would be relatively safe from the pack until after the challenge. My only concern was what Anita would be doing. She didn't hold to pack law and therefore was dangerous until I was inside the sacred circle. That's why I was following her.

 

I wasn't familiar with the human she was visiting, so a little snooping was in order. I crossed the street, careful to stay as hidden as I could under the circumstances. The mailbox read Burke, and that didn't help at all. Right when I entered his yard I felt a tingling sensation that wasn't at all pleasant. It seemed as if a thousand ants were crawling all over my body.

 

(Anita)

 

I couldn't busy myself with reading a magazine or staring at weird art hanging on the wall because there wasn't any. So I paced. After only a few minutes I heard John's shower turn off and the bathroom door open seconds later. John exited rapidly, gun in hand. My first instinct was to go for the Browning. I was about to ask what was wrong, but he shushed me with a finger to his lips.

 

He closed in and whispered, "We have a visitor."

 

Okay.

 

He clarified. "I've warded the yard and the house against the dead."

 

Ah. That explained why only he was aware of a problem. I reached out my senses and felt for the familiar tingle of the dead and felt nothing. This wasn't a bad sign. My reach only extended in about a ten foot radius around my body. I closed to the front door and still felt nothing, so I made the rounds from inside the house and I nearly jumped out of my skin when I closed on the side window.

 

I snapped my fingers to get John's attention. He snapped his head around and inched closer to me. I pointed and he nodded. My index finger clicked off the Browning's safety. John tapped me on the shoulder and he whispered again in my ear.

 

"The glass is bullet resistant. Unless it's exceptionally strong we are safe."

 

Bullet-proof glass in your house. And people think I'm paranoid?

 

I nodded. "Fine, then lets see who's spying on us."

 

I pulled the curtain to the side and lo and behold Buffy was standing there, or rather Raina in Buffy's body.

 

She jumped back and pulled her Smith and Wesson firing three shots that would have taken my head off. Except for two things: the bullet-proof glass and the silver bullets. Silver was softer than brass or lead. It had no chance of getting through the enforced glass.

 

I did the first thing that came to mind. I flipped her off and rapped the same hand on the window mockingly. Childish, I know, but I was rather pissed.

 

Raina growled in anger and took off in the direction of the front of the house. I made for the front door. Passing John, I noticed he was chanting in a form of Necromancy that I was not familiar with, and considering my experience with vaudun I was not surprised.

 

He stopped and looked at me. "I have contained her, for the time being, within the ward."

 

I gripped the Browning tightly. "Thanks."

 

 

(Raina/Buffy)

 

Damn Anita and her fucking magic. I struggled against the barrier she had somehow erected on the outer edge of the yard. I could not pass far enough through it to overcome the thousands of ants from biting and stinging my entire body. They weren't real, I told myself, but they were daunting nonetheless.

 

I heard the front door opening and I ceased my attempts at fleeing the scene. Instead I would kill the bitch once and for all. My arm flung out with my pistol and I unloaded the entire magazine into the front door with hopes of at least injuring her.

 

My luck was holding out. All bad.

 

The petite kitty-fucker emerged from the doorway and looked behind me. A look of revulsion took over her features and she holstered her weapon. Lucky me; there must have been someone behind me. I dropped the gun and unsheathed my claws. I knew my eyes had turned to amber and were full of rage. I guess I'll have to do this the old fashion way.

 

I gave my body over to its baser instincts and ran, full out, at my prey. She had her silver knives out and was slashing into the air in front of my face before I had a chance to make a move on her. When the hell did she learn to move this quick? I ducked under her guard and slashed out with a foreclaw, ripping into her midsection only slightly. I succeeded in only tearing apart her clothes and placing only a couple of small scratches.

 

She gasped and sucked in a sharp breath.

 

I stepped out of her reach and laughed. "Looks like it's wolfy time come the full moon."

 

She smirked. "Didn't you know, Raina? I'm a leopard."

 

Then that was it. I knew she couldn't have become that fast from just her connection to Jean-Claude. "I guess that means after I kill Richard tonight then you'll be staring in my movies after all."

 

She didn't bother with her usual witty comeback and instead lashed out again with her knives. As fast as she was it still wasn't fast enough and I was quick to counter with a right cross to her jaw, knocking her to the ground. It brought a smile to my face to see her finally bleed.

 

Her eyes were still dazed when I lifted her up for the killing blow. I paused only momentarily. It was just to good to pass up. I leaned into her and pressed my lips against hers, letting my tongue probe her mouth tasting her warm energizing blood.

 

"Villisam probatum nicto. I cast you out. Be gone from this body and do not return, evil spirit."

 

My eyes widened and I saw a man pulling his hand out of a leather pouch to throw something at me. Whatever it was, when it made contact with my skin, burned like the fires of hell itself and I felt myself lose control for the first time since my return. That's all she needed. I felt this body's host pounce tear her metaphysical nails into my brain.

 

"NO!"

 

"Villisam probatum nicto. I cast you out. Be gone from this body and do not return, evil spirit."

 

 

Part Eight

 

(Anita)

 

Stars swam in my field of vision and I didn't know what was happening until the action was over. John saved my ass. Whatever he did knocked Raina for a loop because once I regained control of my visual senses I noticed Buffy's body laying quite still in front of John Burke's house.

 

"Anita, can you stand?"

 

I wasn't taking any bets just yet, but I knew I couldn't sit there any longer not knowing what happened. "What did ... you do?"

 

Concern washed away from his face. "What you asked. I exorcized the spirit."

 

I reached over and felt for a pulse at Buffy's neck. Strong and regular. Just as it should be I guess. It's not as if I have ever seen an exorcism before. I didn't know what to expect.

 

"Didn't you need to throw holy water and chant some scripture?"

 

He smirked. "Wrong religion." He shrugged. "Me, I like the short and simple method."

 

He helped me to my feet. "Well that was entirely anti-climactic. Not that I'm bitching or anything. It seems everything that I'm involved in recently has been life and death, period. The bad guy always dies in the end."

 

John brushed something off of my shoulders. I looked down and saw white crystal's falling away. "Salt?"

 

He nodded.

 

I looked up when I heard the sirens. Someone called the cops. Well I guess there are thoughtful, concerned citizens in St. Louis.

 

"Come on. Give me a hand." I bent down and grabbed Buffy's shoulders. "It was a drive-by, okay? Buffy can't be questioned about this by the police."

 

He arched an eyebrow. "You owe me big time, Anita."

 

***************

 

(Buffy)

 

When I opened my eyes I was starring into the deep dark chocolate of Richard's eyes. He looked a bit more than concerned and cautious. I closed my eyes and thought over the last few days and what I --- no, what Raina did.

 

"Buffy?"

 

It was more than I could handle, and I think it showed. I re-opened my eyes and the depth of compassion on Richard's face made me feel undeserving. So I broke. I covered my face with the same hands that tore open my lover's chest only days before. Hot tears poured out of my eyes and the flush of blood to my face made a bad situation only worse.

 

A wracking sob jutted forth from my throat. "I'm ... so sorry, Richard."

 

His strong hands pulled me up and into his broad chest; his arms tugging me closer and closer into him until I couldn't breathe any longer. The thing of it, I didn't care about breathing. I had almost killed the one person that I could spend the rest of my life with. He had taken me into his home and into his life without so much as a blink of his beautiful eyes.

 

"Shhh. It will be okay," he whispered into my hair while he softly stroked it.

 

I shook my head in denial. "I hurt you, Richard. I hurt you."

 

He pushed back a little and took my face in his hands. His thumbs wiped away some of my tears and then he pressed his lips against my own. A warm wind rushed around us and I felt his beast rise and push it's way into me. I gasped into his mouth and my own beast returned his advances. It was like two great furred wolves rubbing along side one another, only the rubbing felt like it was all over my body.

 

My hands reached up and buried themselves in his long curly brown locks, grabbing it in fist-fulls and pulling him down with me on the bed where I laid. He straddled my hips with his legs and pushed me down, forcing his beast further into me. My back arched to meet him. I could smell his desire, with my own, mixing in the air. I wanted nothing more than to tear off his jeans, but I didn't want to let go of his hair.

 

There was a sharp knocking at the bedroom door. I thought I heard Zane's voice. "Hello, lot's of were-creatures out here listening and smelling everything you two are doing."

 

Okay, that was enough to get me to let go. Richard rose up, not more than half an inch away from my face. His breath was full in my face.

 

"I'm better now," he remarked.

 

Oh yeah, he's much better.

 

 

(Anita)

 

"Thanks," I told Zane, "I don't think I want my bed smelling like Richard and Buffy sex."

 

He flashed his kitty teeth. "Can I go in after they leave?"

 

He ducked away from my smack. "Pervert."

 

His eyes waggled.

 

It was only a few moments until the bedroom door opened and they emerged hand in hand. No, I wasn't going to make a scene.

 

"We've got to talk."

 

Richard nodded and led Buffy to the couch, which for once wasn't loaded with the pard. They made themselves comfortable with Buffy trying to press herself into Richard with enough effort than the law of physics would allow. It was sickingly cute.

 

I felt my eyelids flutter in exasperation. "Buffy, you can never call the munin again."

 

Richard was more shocked than Buffy, as it should be. He knew the ramifications of denying the munin. I had tried, once upon a time, to do just that. It had nearly driven me insane.

 

"Believe me, I will never call that bitch again."

 

"Anita?" Richard said it like I needed to explain myself.

 

"I spoke to John Burke, Richard. I told him about Buffy's peculiar situation. It's his educated guess that Buffy, being from an alternate universe might have something to do with her reaction."

 

I tried to explain it as John told me. "Her aura isn't in sync with this universe is the best that I can make sense of it. It's like when we had holes in our aura's, before we joined them."

 

I had pulled away from Jean-Claude and Richard at one time. Forcing the triumvirate apart. The result was the holes. It made all of us weak and subject to magic and psychic attack; where we would normally be strong we were weak. It's like having a hole in a coffee cup. The coffee leaks out and you put your finger against the hole, but eventually you have to take it away, or it gets pushed away. Then you have leaky coffee again. Not long ago we merged the marks again and repaired our link. Buffy couldn't do that as easily.

 

"It will take a while for you to equip yourself with mental shields enough for you to even attempt the munin. If you aren't properly prepared next time then Raina could take over again."

 

I watched as Buffy squeezed. "It will never happen again, Anita. I know what she smells like, now."

 

I shook my head. "You can't say that for sure, Buffy."

 

Anger and defiance reared its ugly head in her eyes. "I'm the Slayer," she growled.

 

I nearly laughed. "Well, that helped a lot a few days ago."

 

She pulled away from Richard and stood. Her voice went low and throaty. "Anita, I've slayed more vampires than I can count. I killed my first love and sent him to hell for the benefit of my world. I've killed small-time demons and even a greater-demon the size of a small office building. I've seen the worst the government can do to a person and I've even destroyed a hell-god in hand to hand combat. I really don't think you know what it means to be a Slayer."

 

I rolled my eyes.

 

"I have given up my life. It was over when I first had the call. I was fifteen years old. Every time I face a big bad creature of darkness I may lose the first battle, but I learn from my mistakes and I overcome them. I turn my weakness' into strengths and sometimes with only my wits and skills I have saved the day.

 

"You may think I am being a little cocky? I want you to know something, Anita," she paused and collected herself. "The portal that brought me here? See, if Glory had succeeded in passing through it, it would have opened a rift in every dimension in existence, including this one. Hell demons would have flooded across the dimensions and destroyed entire worlds. I knew I was going to die"

 

She paused and looked back at Richard. "I sacrificed myself for the life of my sister. So don't think that I won't learn from this and do the same for this man and all of you again and again. It is my life. It is my duty. That's what it means to be the Slayer."

 

 

(Buffy)

 

After I finished, Richard rose and took my hand. We left and went to the woods near the lupinar. We hunted and fed. Thereafter we made love surrounded by the smells of nature and the three-quarter moon. I found out what it means to love again and it wasn't going to be taken away from me. Not by a jealous ex-girlfriend and not by some long dead evil bitch. I'm not invincible. Far from it. But for once I truly believed in myself and my duty.

 

I would spend the time and effort to make sure Raina never comes back. I would make love to my wolf-king. I would be Lupa and mother to every one of our wolves. I would be a vampire executioner and help keep the three state area safer than any other place in America. I would still be the Slayer.

 

Now I just have to kill a Nightmare.


	4. To Forgive, Devine

Part One

 

(Buffy)

 

I think it was the longest eight weeks in my life. A bill was recently passed in the legislature that made all vampire executioners federal marshals. The only hitch was that you had to have been a licensed executioner for at least three years. Needless to say I didn't make the time limit. So Animators Inc.'s two newest recruits, Larry Kirkland and myself, had to go take a course.

 

On the trip, Larry and I got to know each other fairly well. He's about 5'4 with short curly red hair and a trim, firm body, not that I notice that kind of stuff with my Big Bad Wolf-man waiting at home for me. Really.

 

Larry just found out recently that he's gonna be a daddy. His girlfriend, works for the police in the same unit as Anita's buddies. Her name is Tammy Reynolds. Apparently they weren't expecting their little bundle of joy and plan on getting married late in October before she starts showing.

 

This made me kinda nervous. I really haven't had time to get back on the pill and Richard and I have been very naughty and very irresponsible. Not that I wouldn't mind starting a family, but I don't have a ring on my finger and I'm kinda an old fashion girl where families are involved. Needless to say I've seen a doctor and got properly medicated. And since I just got back to St. Louis I have a burning desire to try it out. But you really don't need the details.

 

Larry and I looked around after we exited our plane. The heightened security in the airports didn't allow people to be waiting for you when you got off the plane, but old habits die hard. It wasn't until we reached the front part of the airport that I scented him. Richard.

 

"Larry I have to go. I'll see ya later."

 

"Bye," was his only response.

 

There was a mass of people and I was too short to look over the crowd, so I followed his scent. Adrenaline rushed through me at the thought of running my fingers through his thick brown curls and tasting him on my lips, so much so that I start pushing my way past a number of complaining people. Well they wouldn't get out of my way and I had things that needed attending to, namely a very intense itch that needed serious scratching.

 

I finally broke through and saw Jamil and Shang-Da, his Sköll and Hati respectively. They were his bodyguards and chief enforcers of the pack. Just seeing them again made me catch my breath, because I hadn't really realized how much I missed the pack until now.

 

They were standing shoulder to shoulder obviously blocking someone that was sitting behind them. Shang-Da nodded at seeing me and Jamil smiled brightly. I don't think I have ever seen Shang-Da smile, frown definitely, but never smile. My pulse quickened and I almost started to pant. Being a werewolf has really done some wiggy weird things to me.

 

They stepped aside as I neared and I almost screamed at the sight before me. Richard sat there half smiling with a really guilty look on his face. The almost screaming thing was caused by his nearly buzz cut hairstyle. My beautiful curls!

 

"Richard!"

 

With a really sheepish look on his face he said, "Hi, Buffy."

 

His arms were wide for me and I had almost forgot that I hadn't seen my baby in eight weeks. I closed on him quickly and he took me in his strong arms. My right leg had a mind of its own and started rubbing against the outside of his left. I missed the feel of lips crushing my own with terrifying need.

 

My hands held on to his neck and slowly moved up to his shorn locks. Then I broke the kiss and slid my lips across his face, behind his ear, inhaling his scent. I was still in heaven he was still my Richard, buzz cut and all.

 

"I missed you." I whispered.

 

"I love you." he returned.

 

That caught me off guard, but in a good way, and I had to see his eyes. Yep, he loved me. I did the only thing that I could think of and hugged him harder. "I love you too."

 

"Don't ever go away again."

 

I giggled. "I promise."

 

 

(Anita)

 

"Please, ma petite, just one more bite."

 

"It is not my mission in life to constantly keep feeding you, Jean-Claude."

 

He didn't do the hurt-little-boy look very well. "Is it my fault that once taken, it is better and better with every bite?"

 

I rolled my eyes. "It's a Cinn-a-bun. The only thing that I get over and over is fatter."

 

"Again with the mysterious increase in what I can only love more and more."

 

I've warned him before about talking about a woman's weight. "Fine, one more bite, but you have to help me work off the calories."

 

His hidden grin widened. He still never showed any fang. It was gouache to advertise to the common folk apparently. "Oui, ma petite. However, you will need to finish the entire pastry if we are to compensate for the increased intake."

 

That made things inside my body go low and tight. I've been quite the naughty girl as of late. After Belle Morte's toying with the ardeur, I seem to have lost what little control I had made. Even after the multiple feedings from Jean-Claude, Jason, Micah, over the last couple of days, I needed them more and more.

 

I had gotten it down to twice a day, but now I was back to three times. I've turned back into slut girl.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

It took every ounce of self-restraint that I possessed to not jump Richard in the back seat as the boys drove us home, and I could tell by the straining bulge in the front of Richard's jeans that he felt the same way.

 

Becoming wolfy had done nothing for my good-girl image. Though according to Willow, my opposite, in her world, was quite the slut-girl; what, with doing Spike and all ... ick.

 

The drive home took entirely too long and when we finally rolled up in the driveway I had the door open and was half-dragging Richard to the front door while he was telling the boys to take the afternoon off and knit or something; I really wasn't in the mood for listening.

 

He was laughing when I pulled him through the door and slammed it loudly.

 

"You think this is funny?" I teased.

 

He shrugged with a smirk on his kissable lips. A low, rumbling growl found it's way up from my throat and his eyes locked, frozen on mine. I could see the flickering of warm amber outlining his cornea. I knew mine had long gone in the heat of the moment.

 

"Richard." I almost didn't recognize the sound of my own voice, thick and low as it was.

 

"Yeah." He responded with a whisper.

 

"Richard, why aren't you fucking me?"

 

His smirk returned, but only for a moment. In the next he had me turned around and bent over the couch, the sundress I was wearing, pulled up, passed my waist and my matching thong in tatters on the floor. The speed of the movement made my head swoon and my eyes rolled up into my head with wanton desire.

 

I haven't been a virgin for about five years, and in that time I've had a nice handful of guys that have given me the experience that I needed to know. However with them it was slow and skillful. With Richard it was urgent and passionate. We desired each other like each time was our last moment on Earth. Pain and pleasure mixed in with our play and it was welcome.

 

My face was buried in the couch cushion as I waited, whimpering for his first thrust. His overly-hot hand slid up my spine to the nape of my neck. He took hold of my hair and pulled my head back as he entered me. My eyelids crushed together and my mouth opened in a silent scream as he finally entered me fully. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't think. I couldn't move except to open my eyes wide in an attempt to grasp what was happening to me.

 

He pulled back out and I found my breath. It came in stuttered gasps, but only for a brief moment before he was back into me and we continued for what seemed like hours.

 

 

(Anita)

 

I sat in Jean-Claude's office while he attended to some mundane vampire matter. My head slumped to the desk and I closed my eyes and whispered to myself. "I hope someone is getting laid tonight, 'cause it sure the hell ain't me."

 

 

Part Two

 

(Buffy)

 

I really don't remember making it to the bed last night. I guess Richard must have tucked me in at some point. I stretched my legs and arched my back, working the kinks out from the more than moderate workout from the previous night. Richard still laid there next to me sleeping like a baby; a very large and luscious baby.

 

After I made my way to the adjoining bathroom I took in the damage we created with our little reunion. Setting aside the finger-in-the-light-socket hair I wasn't too bad off. Then I saw some blood on my shoulder, and underneath, a perfect set of human teeth marks. Now, normally I would probably freak, but being with Richard for these few months taught me that if there wasn't blood involved then the sex just wasn't any good. Shower --- I need a shower.

 

No sooner did I have the shampoo deep in my hair than the phone took it's opportunity to ring. There wasn't much I could do about it now. It was bound to wake Richard. It stopped on the third ring. I knew it couldn't have been for him, because the pack and his friends knew better than to call him this early. So I hurried up and rinsed the suds from my hair.

 

The bathroom door opened and a second later the shower curtain edged aside a few inches. "It's for you. Police."

 

My hand found the faucet and turned the water off as my other reached for a fluffy blue towel. "Thanks, baby. Sorry."

 

He grinned and pecked me on the cheek then turned and went back to bed, I assume.

 

"Hello."

 

"Marshall Summers?" A man's voice replied.

 

Well that was the first time I had been called that. I didn't count the times that Larry and I teased each other on the flight back. Then it was 'Marshall Kirkland this and Marshall Summers that.'

 

"Speaking."

 

"Marshall Summers, this is Sergeant Zerbrowski with the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team."

 

I knew who he was. We had met twice before, except he wouldn't remember me from either time. I was a homicidal maniac one of those times. "Yes, Sergeant. How may I help you?"

 

He sounded a little uncomfortable. "We were referred to you by Bert Vaughn."

 

Bert is my boss at Animators Inc. Apparently he's not wasting time in putting me back to work.

 

"We were unable to contact our usual preternatural expert, and I was wondering if you would be available for a consult on a case we are working on."

 

As a Federal Marshall I was obligated to help out on any 'monster' crimes that might fall in my lap, and as a vampire executioner for Bert ... well lets say that I'm obligated to make sure he gets his money's worth for the next couple of years.

 

"I'm getting out of the shower as we speak, Sergeant."

 

I heard a muffled snicker on the other end of the line. "I'll hold 'till you are decent."

 

I rolled my eyes and went for paper and a pen. Weirdly enough Richard was waiting on the other side of the door with what I needed. We exchanged looks. Then I grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him down to me for a proper thank you. When the kiss was broken he smiled.

 

I raised the phone back up. "Go ahead."

 

He gave me the address where he wanted me to meet him and said he was going to hold the scene until I got there. In normal people talk that means hurry up. Richard saw the address and flashed me the twenty minutes signal with his hands.

 

"Give me about forty to forty-five minutes, Sergeant."

 

"I thought you were about fifteen minutes away." He responded.

 

I smirked for my effect more than his. "Well if you want me there naked ..."

 

The muffled snicker came again. "See you in forty, Marshall."

 

He didn't wait for me to say goodbye.

 

~*~

 

Richard volunteered to give me a ride over and he even promised to sit in the car and wait. Don't I have the best guy in the world? Since he was driving I got to put my makeup on in the car which cut fifteen minutes off of my estimate. Now normally it would take me longer to get ready, but I have a specific outfit for vamp executions and Marshally type business.

 

Anyway, the outfit consisted of a mid-thigh black skirt and a cottony black button-down, along with patent leather knee-boots and the knee-length black coat set Richard's fire started again. Seeing as fall was around the corner, the temperature was not god-awful, but I was still a bit warm. Warm and deadly.

 

I had two of my trusty stakes which have been silver tipped and a couple of vials of holy water stashed in inner coat pockets. I still had to carry around the Sigma; that's a Federal law. I wasn't entirely comfortable wearing it since Raina had her freaky little way with my body. Nothing like trying to kill the good guys to make you give up on the heavy artillery.

 

There was a time that I could be arrested if I was carrying holy water and a stake. The law would tend to think that I was going out to slay vamps, and without a warrant, I could be arrested. Since I got the badge I can legally carry a few more goodies. However I need a place to stash them on my body without advertising to the general public that I do this for a living. Hence the coat.

 

I gave Richard a quick kiss and got out of the car before the bad girl thoughts came back. I had him park about a block away so he could avoid the news crew that we had seen. Once I reached the edge of the crowd I took out my badge and slipped it in my left breast pocket so that it showed nice and bright. Hey who says a girl can't be proud?

 

I tried being nice and said excuse me a few times before I knew that wouldn't get me anywhere and instead I started pushing my way through the thickest part of the gawkers. By the time I made it to the yellow police tape, that had a large potion of the area cut off from the crowd, a uniformed cop finally noticed the badge.

 

A couple of reporters noticed the badge and that I was a Federal Marshall.

 

"Was it a vampire killing again, Marshall?" "What's your name? " "Who does your wardrobe?" "Are you dating a vampire too?" "Where's Marshall Blake?"

 

The uniform finally held the tape up to let me pass. "Back off and let the Marshall through, people."

 

I breathed a sigh of relief when I broke through. How the heck does Anita deal with that crap every day?

 

"I'm looking for Sergeant Zerbrowski."

 

The officer thumbed at the front door to the house. "That's him with the tie."

 

There were a number of detective type people lounging around in the front yard, all of which had ties, but none so bad as Zerbrowski's hula girl print. Luckily I had already known who he was. We had met once when I first came to St. Louis, but I hadn't spent two minutes with him and doubted he even knew who I was.

 

He caught sight of me and waved me over. "So we meet again."

 

Okay, so much for not remembering. "Hi."

 

He reached out his hand and we shook.

 

"Ready to get to work?" He asked.

 

There was one thing that the Fed's drilled into their students over and over. "Got any gloves?" Cops really didn't like it if you got fingerprints all over their nice crime scenes.

 

He nodded, "At the door."

 

There was a barstool at the door with a box on top. I pulled out a pair and put them on. The air conditioning was going full blast; I could feel it breezing past me at the door. Two other things were breezing past: the smell of blood and vampires. I guess the reporter got it in one.

 

I looked from side to side when Zerbrowski walked past me. He stopped and looked back.

 

His brow furrowed.

 

I caught his look, "He or she?"

 

"Most people wouldn't want to know," he answered, kinda surprised.

 

I didn't have anything to say to that.

 

"He. Michael Herbert, nineteen years old. "

 

I nodded and entered the foyer. The owner of the house seemed well off but not too rich. The floors were clean and the furniture was nice and tidy. There was a beige carpeted staircase in the center of the room bordered by two rooms. One on either side. I looked right and left again. The bloodsmell was coming from upstairs.

 

I started up the steps and didn't bother with the railing. My eyes were on the stairs before me looking for clues and or bloodstains. You weren't supposed to step on either --- it's in the rules. Everything was nice and neat. It didn't lead me to believe that something bad had happened if it weren't for the bloodsmell.

 

The scent led me past the master bedroom at the top of the stairs to the smaller room just past. I was about to take a quick look and was nearly scared out of my skirt by a guy carrying a camera coming out of the room. "Eep!"

 

Zerbrowski snickered behind me. "First murder scene, Marshall?"

 

I felt my ears burning from the post embarrassment blood rush. "Sorta."

 

Truth was I had seen a lot of dead bodies in Sunnydale, but I really couldn't tell him that.

 

He stepped aside, "All done, Steve?"

 

The camera man nodded, "All yours, Sergeant. We've got prints and pics. Give me the word for the meat delivery."

 

I raised an eyebrow. "I don't even want to ask. Do I."

 

A big grin appeared on his face. "Not if you want to keep your breakfast."

 

I'd put it off long enough and entered the bedroom.

 

The scene wasn't as bad as I had prepared myself for. Michael Herbert was laying pell-mell on his bed. The sheets were rumpled and he was still in his jammies. What nineteen year old still wears pajamas? His head was turned to one side and I immediately saw the fang marks at his neck confirming what I already knew. Vamp.

 

The bloodsmell was almost overwhelming. I rubbed the back of my hand under my nose and came away with sweat. Jesus. My eyes closed and I concentrated on keeping my breathing down and I prayed that I wouldn't fall down on my knees on the bed and have a little taste of him. It was the first time that I desired human flesh and blood, and I didn't like the feeling. I turned around and grasped the doorframe, pushing my beast down before it surfaced.

 

"Summers, if you need to puke, take it to the bathroom."

 

He had it so wrong.

 

"I'm fine," I choked out.

 

Shallow breaths help keep the taste out of my mouth and allowed me to regain my composure. I turned back and neared the body.

 

"How long since he was found?"

 

Zerbrowski took a notebook out of his coat pocket and flipped a couple of pages. "About two hours ago. Father found him."

 

I nodded and bent over the body quickly sniffed near the wound then at his mouth then I stood up getting as much distance between the body and myself as I could without looking spooked.

 

"What?"

 

I could sense him follow my eyes. "Check out his wrists."

 

He lifted one hand and it bent the way wrists aren't supposed to bend, more than a ninety degree angle backwards. His wrist-bones were broken or crushed. The weird thing was that it didn't look broken. Even I have seen enough T.V. to know they should be bruised looking or something.

 

I turned around and went for the bedroom window; it was closed and locked. I opened it and took a deep breath of fresh air. Then it hit me. The screen was missing. I looked down on the grass and there was nothing but a shrubbery.

 

"Sergeant, are screens on all the rest of these windows."

 

His eyes widened. "That's how he got in. The vic knew him."

 

I nodded. "And he's not exactly a victim. At least not yet."

 

That took him by surprise. "Why?"

 

"You're looking for a female vamp that wears cheap perfume and lipstick sealant. Maybe a girlfriend or something. You can't take this body to the morgue. He's not dead yet. At least not in the permanent sense."

 

"Are you saying he got turned."

 

I nodded. "Against his will. He put up a fight of sorts that's how his wrist got broken."

 

 

(Anita)

 

"All right. Who turned my damn beeper off?"

 

 

Part Three

 

(Anita)

 

I never found the culprit; nobody was going to fess up, but I had my suspicions. Luckily I had a back up memory feature that showed the last five pages even if the beeper was turned off.. All of them were from Zerbrowski. Damn.

 

After a few rings he picked up. "Anita, I didn't think you were going to call back."

 

"Someone turned my beeper off," I grumbled. "What's up?"

 

"Don't worry. Bert had someone to cover for you."

 

Now my interest was peaked. I was the only person at Animator's Inc. that was on retainer to the police ... unless. "Buffy Summers?"

 

I could hear the amusement in his voice. "Got it in one. And they say you aren't quick on the uptake."

 

"Do you still need me?"

 

"Nope. She got it in less than five minutes."

 

That didn't surprise me. She had a few unnatural gifts that I didn't possess. Her lycanthrope abilities would make her a natural for this line of work. If you were a lycanthrope you didn't have to wait for a detailed autopsy report. You could smell half the evidence right from the victim itself.

 

"Well, bully for her. "

 

He laughed. "Don't like having another Marshall in town, Anita?"

 

I cringed. "This isn't some old western, Zerbrowski. If she can help RPIT out then more power to her."

 

"Look at it this way. You get to spend more time with Count Dracula."

 

I'd had enough banter with him and hung up the phone. Now I have to figure out a way to kill Bert without raising suspicion. I dialed Animator's Inc. number and waited for Mary to transfer me.

 

When he finally came on the phone Bert gave me a rather sarcastic greeting. "Finally start answering your pages, Anita?"

 

"Can it Bert. What's with referring Buffy Summers to RPIT?" I could almost smell the smirk on his face.

 

"Marshall Summers has been more amicable to the customers than other people, and she doesn't argue every decision I make."

 

The slow burn I had been experiencing for the last fifteen minutes was starting to reach it's boiling point. Technically Bert couldn't fire me anymore since most everyone at the firm had gone to full partnership status. So I could go off on him with out much recrimination. But I didn't. I just hung up the phone.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

Richard just sat there and held me. I wasn't going to cry, I'd told myself. It wasn't seeing a dead body that had me on edge and all shaky. It was the effect that body had on me. Imagine going all of your life thinking nice human thoughts and suddenly you find yourself with the desire to dine on someone that had just been killed.

 

I was about to hurl in the biggest way.

 

Richard smoothed out my hair; petting me like a wounded puppy. "Shhh. It's okay. The first time is always the roughest."

 

I pressed my head further into his chest. His heartbeat was slow and steady, calming me more than anything else. "Will it get any worse?"

 

His hand stopped in mid-stroke. "Truth."

 

I almost wanted him to lie to me. "Yeah."

 

"Yes."

 

I knew his answer before he said it, but I was still hoping it would be no. But since I now knew what to expect I think that I'll, at the very least, be prepared for the future. I pulled away from his reassuring hug and kissed him softly.

 

"Thanks for the quality time."

 

One side of his mouth grinned up in an aw shucks smile. "Anytime."

 

 

(Anita)

 

I knocked for the third time on Jason's door at the Circus.

 

"I'm coming already!"

 

He opened the door and struck a pose for my benefit, I'm sure. I still wasn't comfortable with the change in our relationship. Just yesterday he became yet another victim of the ardeur. Although he wouldn't consider himself to be victimized. Nathaniel was still recuperating from being fed on too much by my preternatural sexual lusts. Yes, it is possible to be fucked to death.

 

In another time I would be considered a succubus because of Jean-Claude's gift, the ardeur. I had Micah, Jean-Claude, and Nathaniel, feeding me up until Musette hit town. She is Belle Morte's, Beautiful Death's, envoy. They were supposed to come in November, but as luck would have it Belle sent her early to test us.

 

Belle, being a council member, is an extraordinarily powerful vampire. Through Musette she can virtually be here in person even though she lives in Europe somewhere. Talking to Musette is literally talking to Belle. Jean-Claude, Asher, and Damien are all of Belle's bloodline and Belle is the original source of Jean-Claude's incubus.

 

So, with her presence in St. Louis my control of the ardeur went all to hell and Jason was there to take the brunt of it yesterday afternoon. Just seeing him standing there nude and sleek brought a little flashback to mind. Me laying on the bed with my ankles straddling his head while he pounded into me with all the power of the wolf behind him ...

 

"Anita?"

 

Damn. The one problem with being around so many preternatural people is that they can scent sexual desire. I felt blood rush to my cheeks.

 

"Anything I can do for you? Or more to the point to ..."

 

I held up my hand, stopping him from finishing the sentence. "Don't."

 

He just smiled. He was more than happy that he was on my radar now. Before, he was just a friend. A very flirtatious friend, but just a friend nonetheless. Our little tryst had boosted his ego-meter into the red.

 

"I need someone to drive me down to the police station."

 

An almost unperceivable frown tugged his smile down. "Still not feeling a hundred percent?"

 

I shook my head. Musette's visit had taken a lot out of me and I still didn't trust myself driving, not to mention that I'd like someone to be with me twenty-four hours a day until I'm sure the ardeur is under control. The only thing worse than bedding Jason would be to bed some poor schmuck off the street. The ardeur didn't care who satisfied the thirst.

 

I started to turn away.

 

"Come on in I'll just be a sec."

 

I almost told him that I'd rather wait in the hall, but for once I didn't want to hurt his feelings. Not after sacrificing himself yesterday. Rationalize, Anita, rationalize.

 

My eyes fell on his bed and the rumbled sheets that lay upon it. It was only hours ago that it happened, and I could still feel him inside me. I could still feel my hands as they raked down his arms taking skin and blood with them. Absentmindedly I rubbed the wounds on my own arms where I had cut myself up in an attempt to not harm Jason anymore.

 

Shaking myself out of the vision I looked around for an armchair or something. Trust Jason to let the bed be the only place where someone could sit in his room. So I sat. He was in the bathroom with the water running when I noticed his scent. I was too close to the sheets not to smell him.

 

I looked at the closed door to the bathroom and then grabbed a handful of the sheets and brought them to my nose. I could smell the sweet scent of his body in the fabric. Shit. I threw them back down and looked up at him standing in the doorway. How long had I been sniffing the sheets? Not only am I back to being slut-girl, now I was a perv to top it all off.

 

"Ready?" I choked out. I think my head was about to explode from the concentration of blood in my face alone.

 

"Depends on what you are talking about." He didn't skip a beat. "My teeth are brushed and my breath is fresh ... wanna taste?"

 

I think I almost dove for the door. What I was feeling wasn't the ardeur; it was good old-fashioned lust, and that was something that I could, at least, put in the back of my mind.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

We pulled out of the Starbucks drive-thru, me armed with a double mocha latté and Richard, his oolong tea. He had told me once upon a time after I first shifted that I couldn't be addicted to caffeine any longer because of my new metabolism. No drugs, no more getting sick, no worries about any transmittable diseases, yadda. I think something went wrong during the change because I craved the lattés a lot more than usual.

 

"Richard?"

 

He sipped at his cup. "Hmm?"

 

"Why did you cut your hair?"

 

He gulped a little too hard and choked on the tea. I don't know if it was an act or what, but the mood in the car took a violent turn to the nervous.

 

"Uh." He stumbled over a few starts before he finally arrived at a line that might be acceptable. "Yesterday wasn't one of my best days."

 

I nodded in an understanding way. He wasn't looking at me at the time so I don't know if it mattered.

 

"You had been gone for so long and that bitch of a vampire was in town taunting everyone."

 

That was news. "Vampire?"

 

"Musette. She is Belle Morte's right hand. Belle is a member of the vampire council."

 

"Is that like some kinda vampire big wig thingy?"

 

He smiled. "Yeah. Anyway, she had tried to suck Jean-Claude dry, energy wise so that she could have control of his vampires and in turn our wolves."

 

The made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

 

"Except it didn't work like she wanted. Jean-Claude was dead for the day and it rebounded to Anita and myself. It was like I had been in the fight for my life."

 

I laid my hand on his thigh for reassurance.

 

"It's okay. I mean everything turned out okay. Musette's gone."

 

I was edging on anger now. "Did you dust her butt?"

 

He shook his head. "I didn't need to. Anita managed to threaten her and Belle enough that she left town."

 

"Good." Then I skipped a beat. "And this has what exactly to do with you cutting your hair?"

 

He seemed a little more nervous. He licked his lips and bent his head to the side trying to stretch his neck muscles.

 

"What are you feeling guilty about, Richard?" I asked warily.

 

"Anita."

 

I blinked slowly. "Anita what?"

 

"She's why I cut my hair. Well, her and Belle."

 

My eyes narrowed.

 

"It's these damn marks that I am saddled with. Everything that happens to them happens to me."

 

"So you cut you hair?" I asked sarcastically.

 

Now he was getting frustrated. "If I didn't fall in love with her in the first place then none of this would be happening."

 

That kinda hit to the quick. "Do you still love her, Richard."

 

I didn't know if I wanted the answer to that question. Since I'd first met Richard I had wondered what exactly went on between those two, but fear of the truth would not let me ask.

 

He didn't wait long before answering. "Yes and no."

 

I squeezed his thigh and not in an reassuring way.

 

"She was a part of my life and for the foreseeable future she will still be a part. The marks will bind us until Jean-Claude is dead or we are."

 

I almost huffed. "Quit running around the bushes and answer the question, Richard."

 

"The truth is I will always love a part of her, but the whole package is not attractive anymore. The first and only answer for Anita is death, in almost every situation." He waved his hand in the air. "If someone is bothering you, shoot them. If she doesn't get her way, shoot them. I'm tired of it all."

 

I thought about that for only a couple of seconds. "Richard, I'm the Slayer. I've killed more things, more monsters than I can count; hundreds of vampires, demons, and other nastiness. Most of it with a pointy stake. And now with my new job and being a werewolf, you can bet it will only be more of the same in the future. Except I have a gun too and some nasty claws to go with it."

 

We had come to a stop at an intersection and he turned to me. "There are a number of difference between you and Anita, but the biggest one that I see more than any other is your compassion. You seem to know when to fight and when to walk away. Maybe everyone is right; my morals are too antiquated.

 

"The answer to your question is no. I do not love her anymore. I love you. You are everything that I love and respect in a person and I don't think I could go on without you." He paused. "Well that and you're really good in bed."

 

I slugged him in the shoulder. "You smooth talker."

 

 

Part Four

 

(Anita)

 

I had forgotten, momentarily, mind you, that I was having the jeep cleaned. Jason was nice enough to shift into werewolf form on top of the drivers side seat, yesterday while I was being attacked by Belle and the Mother of all Vampires. Granted it was a metaphysical attack and I really don't think the Mommy Dearest was even trying very hard at the time, but it was enough to freak Jason out and cause him to shift.

 

Anyway we wound up taking the limo. Jean-Claude had been offering me the use of his spiffy car for a long time. Since I'm a rather self-reliant type of girl I turned him down. I'm sure we could have borrowed someone else's car, but what the hell. You only live once --- unless you're a vampire. Oh, never mind.

 

"Business or pleasure?" Jason asked as he leaned back in to the soft leather of the seat and stretched out his legs.

 

He had chosen his outfit with me in mind, I just knew it. For once he wasn't in jeans and a t-shirt. He had on black Dockers with a royal blue button down shirt and a black linen jacket to cover. If he wasn't so young looking he could have passed for my partner ... if I had a partner. I guess he was trying to play the part so he wouldn't cause me so much grief with the police.

 

They always took one look at him and knew he wasn't supposed to be around. Granted he still didn't look like a cop, but at least he didn't stand out so much from the crowd.

 

"Business."

 

"Oh, goodie. Do I get to get charged with anything this time?"

 

I rolled my eyes. Dolph had trumped up a reason to haul Jason in for questioning in a couple of murders that involved a lycanthrope. Granted he had defensive scratches on his forearms and he was a werewolf, but I had put those scratches there. Boy did I like confessing that in front of both Zerbrowski and Dolph. I had thought their collective jaws would hit the floor.

 

"I doubt it, but why don't you stay in the car, just to be sure."

 

"Awww."

 

I shrugged. "Fine, but when you wind up in detention don't come yipping at me."

 

I think he wanted to come along just to give Zerbrowski grief, but I could be wrong. Sweet to think so.

 

The sun had just cleared the office buildings downtown and was in the perfect position to blind me when we stepped out of the limo. Jason tagged along up the stairs of RPIT and through to the squad room. The sound of keyboards clicking and detectives yapping greeted us.

 

The desk closest to the door belonged to Detective Jessica Arnet. Her smile widened until she saw who I had in tow. Not that Jason wasn't good enough eye-candy for the average girl out there. She just had the hots for my usual tag-along.

 

"Nathanial said hi."

 

Really, he did. I wouldn't make this type of stuff up. She resumed her happy grin.

 

"Zerbrowski in?"

 

She nodded back to Dolph's office. Huh, movin' up in the world. As I approached I noticed the blinds and the door were closed. I knocked anyway. A second went by and Zerbrowski opened the door.

 

"Anita."

 

"Busy?"

 

He shook his head, albite reluctantly. He opened the door wider and let me pass. I turned my head back. "Jason," I pointed to the row of chairs outside the office, "sit."

 

Jason eyed me quickly. "Yes, Mistress."

 

Ah yes, if looks could kill... Zerbrowski laughed. "Why'd you bring Schuyler --- just in case you need a little pick-me-up afternoon delight?"

 

Well that was too close to the truth for comfort. "I'm not here for your amusement, Zerbrowski. What's the case that you needed me for?"

 

He shut the door and moved back to Dolph's chair. I looked around real quick and made the assumption that Dolph was still on mandatory vacation.

 

"Like I told you on the phone, Anita, Marshal Summers already helped us."

 

My lips firmed. "She's new to the job. She might have missed something."

 

He leaned back in the chair, making the leather stretch and made rude noises, after which he moved again, slightly, just to make sure that I didn't think he passed gas. Leather is not kind to one's ego.

 

"We've got it covered, Anita."

 

I narowed my eyes. "Is this you trying to tell me to mind my own business and it's not my case."

 

His grin widened. "Something like that." Then it faded away. "Look, Anita, I'll tell you the same thing that I told Dolph. The world doesn't revolve around you. Sometimes we little peons can handle the cases all on our own."

 

I knew he wasn't being an ass, just letting me know the score. In his opinion I was too close to the monsters as of late, and my loyalty could probably be brought into question.

 

"So you've put Buffy on retainer now and dropped me?"

 

He rolled his eyes. "Is there something wrong with having you both on retainer?"

 

Leave it to Zerbrowski to actually think like a normal human being. "I guess not. It would be nice to actually take a vacation."

 

"Holy cow! Alert the media. Anita Blake is going to take advice from me."

 

"Can it, Zerbrowski."

 

His smile was back. "Well now that we have all of that crap out of the way, the bad guy is a female vampire."

 

I looked up from the floor. "What?"

 

He threw the vampire autopsy report around so that I could read. Any crime involving a vampire bite gets a non-intrusive report. This basically means the coroner doesn't do any cutting however he can take samples from the body before dark. It's a major rush job. I combed through the relevant parts and took a look at the crime scene photos. I guess Buffy had it nailed.

 

"Shalimar?"

 

Zerbrowski nodded. "Yeah, Summers said it was cheap perfume. One of the techs noticed the scent. They'll need more time on the lipstick sealer. Though how the hell Summers knew she was wearing it I'll never know."

 

I had a plausible answer. "The perfume gives good odds that it's a girl. Unless he swings in the other direction. I wouldn't put money on it though. And the smudging around the bite could mean lipstick, but not enough to leave any visible evidence. The only thing that would prevent that would be the sealer."

 

He shrugged. "Makes sense."

 

"I'll sniff around. Maybe I can come up with a suspect."

 

Jean-Claude was going to be pissed. One of his brood was making her own little fiefdom. I was thinking that would be a bad thing.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

I wasn't entirely thrilled with Richard going temporarily wacky and chopping off his hair, so I let it lie for now. I'd have to have a talk with Anita find out what else went on behind the scenes. I had a feeling Richard didn't stop to catch up on current events during the festivities yesterday. I really wasn't looking forward to that conversation. Maybe I'll just get the lowdown from Jason.

 

For now I had more pressing matters. My pager was buzzing. I checked the number; Bert. It only took me a few seconds to find my cell phone and I hit the speed dial. Mary, the daytime secretary, answered after only one ring.

 

"Animators Incorporated."

 

"Hi Mary. It's Buffy. Is Bert in?"

 

"Just a second, Buffy. And congratulations on being official."

 

The line clicked over before I could thank her. What is it about people in St. Louis?

 

"Buffy."

 

"Bert."

 

"I've got an execution for you."

 

Whenever he said those few words I always stiffened. "What's the scoop?"

 

"Dyersburg, Tennessee. Vampire. It's a hunt and kill."

 

I frowned. "Isn't that Jeb Straten's territory?" Jeb was the executioner for the Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia region. There aren't a lot of us in the U.S. We tended to know who was who.

 

"He's out of the country and since Animators, Inc. has a surplus of executioners you got volunteered."

 

I looked to the next seat at Richard. I knew, with his enhanced hearing, he could pick up on every word said. I cupped the receiver in my palm. "Wanna go with?"

 

He smiled, teeth and all. "I know the local pack leader. He can point us in the right direction."

 

"Bert, I'll need to take someone with me that is familiar with the area."

 

"One person only. I can charge it to the state. And you'll have to deputize him."

 

I nodded. Don't ask me why. "I just got out of Marshall school, Bert. I know the rules."

 

I hung up.

 

Richard smirked. "Cool, I'm going to be a junior G-Man."

 

I rolled my eyes. "We need to get home. I have to pack."

 

He got a worried look in his eyes. I just shrugged it off. "Laugh it up fuzzball." And he did.

 

It didn't take too long. And I didn't pack a whole trunk or anything. Just one large overnight bag. Richard stuffed his shaving kit, which was pre-prepped by the way, and threw a couple of shirts and a pair of jeans in a gym bag. I double checked the executioners bag: holy water, stakes, sword, hatchet, extra clips for the Sigma. Check.

 

The airport was only twenty minutes away and luckily there was a small commuter flight to Dyersburg. I flashed my Marshall's badge and security let us by unmolested and out onto the tarmac.

 

It was a prop plane. Apparently it's not a real big town. Joy. The trip was about an hour and some change and another twenty minutes by taxi to the Dyersburg Police Department on West Market Street.

 

The town was relatively quiet in comparison to St. Louis. It kinda reminded me of Sunnydale and I hade a brief yeaning to return home. I shrugged it off and opened the double glass doors to the building.

 

The desk sergeant was quite nice when I flashed my badge at him and asked to speak to whomever was in charge. Richard and I took a stroll around the lobby and waited until a man in captains bars emerged from a side door.

 

He was as tall as Richard with close cropped salt and pepper hair and a firm chest. He definitely kept in shape. So much for the good-ole-boy stereotype.

 

"Marshall Summers?" He asked with a hand extended. "Well aren't you the littlest thing."

 

Okay, almost so much for the not being a stereotype.

 

I took his hand and put a little more behind the grip than I normally do. His eyes widened a bit and he squeezed back. I could have crushed his hand into little bits, but that wouldn't have gotten me out of Dyersburg any quicker.

 

"I hear you have a vamp that needs staking."

 

He nodded "Indeed we do."

 

 

Part Five

 

(Buffy)

 

Captain Manson gave me the file on the vamp. "Her name is Anyanka. From what our informants have told us ..." he paused, looking at me, "Is something wrong?"

 

Wrong? Yeah, I couldn't breathe, my throat was so tight that I couldn't talk either. Anyanka? I swallowed dryly and my throat eased up enough for me to queak out name he gave me. "Anyanka?"

 

His brow furrowed. "Yes, are you familiar with her?"

 

I opened the folder and stared down at the fuzzy black and white picture. It looked as if it had been taken from a close circuit security camera. The quality was very bad, but one thing was clear, her face. It was Anya.

 

"I know her, Richard." I looked back up at the Captain. "You said she's a vampire."

 

He nodded. "That's what our sources say." He paused, "However they also say that she's like no other vampire that they have ever seen."

 

I closed the folder. "Where's the last place that she was seen?"

 

He squinted at me, trying vaguely to read my mind, I guess. "At the victim's home."

 

I smiled grimly, "Can I hold onto this for tonight?" I waved the folder.

 

He nodded again, "That is a copy of the case file. Keep it for the duration." He continued. "If I may ask..." he didn't wait for my permission, "is this going to be a problem --- you knowing the accused?"

 

I starred into his eyes. "Captain, I used to know, Anya when she wasn't a vampire. If it's true and she's killed someone then I will execute her."

 

The Captain stood up almost knocking his chair to the floor. "Marshall Summers, a court order of execution has been issued for the vampire, Anyanka. That is precisely why you have been called here."

 

All expression dropped from my face. "Then, Captain, she's dead."

 

I pushed my chair back and it slammed against the wall, six feet behind me.

 

Richard followed me out. When we passed through the front doors and out into the afternoon sun he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Buffy, I'm sorry."

 

I turned into him. "Richard, Anya is from my universe. I've known her for the past two years."

 

He seemed a bit surprised at the info. "How'd she get here?"

 

I looked to the sidewalk and the passers-by. "I don't have a clue, but we're gonna find out."

 

We called for a cab and made a beeline to rent a car. Richard handled the details and drove us to the crime scene. The ride gave me enough time to read through the police report and form a plan to locate Anya. The house was about fifteen minutes northwest of the city and halfway to the cabins that Richard said his friend owned. Apparently his friend was the local pack's Ulfric. Nice to have friends in low places, or high places considering how the terrain was getting a bit mountainous.

 

Mara Jenkins was single and unmarried, and she was very rich. The security video tape showed Anya entering the front door about 10 p.m. and leaving shortly thereafter. Too bad the entrances to the house were the only thing that was covered on tape. The report stated that nobody else entered the house until the police checked out a "bad smell" report by her next door neighbor. Apparently a dead body didn't keep too good in the September heat.

 

A local patrolman was supposed to let us in the house to check out the scene and make sure we didn't run off with any clues or mementos. Whatever. He was there when we pulled up the driveway. When I flashed my badge he waved us up to park behind his police car.

 

I opened the door and he was standing beside me. "May I see your I.D. please."

 

He seemed nice enough. I hadn't put it away yet and handed it to him. He looked at it momentarily and glanced at Richard. I cut him off before he asked. "He's with me."

 

"I was told to let you in the house, nobody else. Sorry."

 

I looked back at Richard. He had his hands up in surrender. Normally I wouldn't argue, but I wasn't sure that I could make it though the scene. I didn't do too well with the last dead body I saw. Granted the body was long gone, but the dried blood and other icky stuff was still there.

 

"He's a duly deputized Federal Marshall, officer."

 

The officer grimaced. "Let me check it out with the Captain." He left and went to his car to talk on the radio. I took the time and popped the hatch to the jeep we rented and dug into my executioners bag. I had stashed the Sigma with it's shoulder holster in the bag before we checked luggage at the airport. It was a Velcro stretch jobbie. I didn't much like the feel of the hard leather shoulder holsters. By the time the officer returned I had a linen jacket covering the gun.

 

I had noticed Richard's eyes when he saw the gun. He didn't much like it, but he understood I was on police business. When I wasn't on government time I didn't like it myself. I didn't have much use for guns. I liked my sword a lot more, but people tend to freak when they see me walking down the street with a shiny long sword in my hand. There were times that I really missed Sunnydale. People there would have just turned around and made something up to reason away the weirdness.

 

"The Captain okayed your partner."

 

I nodded and we headed to the front door.

 

The scene wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined it. I could still smell old death in the air, but it wasn't appetizing. Not like the scene from earlier today. Think of it like forgetting to put your leftovers away from the night before and you wake up to see them still on the stove. The smell was still in the air, but you've lost your craving for the food. Thank God.

 

We took the time to look around. I tried to smell Anya's perfume, but unless she'd changed brands, the smell of the dried blood covered it up. There wasn't much blood on the carpet, it was on the wall, splattered in an arc up and down. I'd seen what could have caused this in the past, and the crime scene pictures confirmed what I had thought. Mara Jenkins was killed with a blade to the throat.

 

From what Anita has told me, vamps in this universe often slice the necks of their victims to cover up the bite marks to give more time to escape or put off any investigation to another direction.

 

I turned from the blood-stained wall to see Richard at the doorway with his eyes closed. I felt his beast rising to the surface, more in anger at the crime than the scent of aging blood.

 

"It's one of the reasons that we do this, Richard."

 

His eyes stopped tracking the room and stood on me. "What?"

 

"The injustice of it all. Mara Jenkins was relatively innocent in this mess."

 

His eyes squinted at what I said, not completely understanding what I was talking about. "What to you mean, relatively?"

 

"It was a vamp kill, Richard. She knew the vamp. How else was it able to enter her home?"

 

Thank God some things didn't change from universe to universe.

 

He relaxed as if he finally understood something. "That's why you wanted to come here, to the scene. The police didn't mention a connection."

 

I nodded. "The police aren't infallible. They see the tape and a vampire entering the house... a dead body, and wham they have a murderer." I walked around the room looking at the various knickknacks and pictures. "Me, I've done this for the last five and a half years of my life. I'm starting to become quite the expert on how a vampire's mind works and how accepting the police are when monsters are involved."

 

He crossed his arms and leaned on the door jam. "You don't think Anyanka did it?"

 

I shrugged. "She probably did. The Anya I knew was a thousand year old vengeance demon. She tortured people for a living. A straight kill isn't out of the ordinary."

 

The officer's voice came from down the hall. "You think you'll be done soon? I have a three o'clock massage."

 

An image popped into my mind of the officer's hairy chub body. "Ewww."

 

Richard smiled, teeth and all. "I told Verne we'd be there soonish." He glanced at his watch. "We'd better hit the road."

 

I nodded.

 

 

(Anita)

 

"You think it's one of ours?" Jason asked.

 

I had hoped not. "With any luck it will be a member of The Church of the Eternal Light."

 

It was still the fastest growing religion in the U.S. It's easy to get members to join when you can promise them life after death. Granted being a vampire was not what most people considered living, but if you are scared to death of dying what better way to ease that fear than becoming one of the undead.

 

"Where to?"

 

I looked out of the side window, not at anything in particular. "The Circus. Jean-Claude should be up soon. We need to get him involved."

 

Normally I wouldn't bring the Master of the City into a police investigation, but under the circumstances I thought it would keep the body count lower than if I waited. With Jean-Claude's help I could narrow the suspects by way more than half. If everyone cleared then tonight we would pay the church a visit.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

After I was through bouncing around the badly paved road and we hit the badly unpaved road I was beginning to have doubts whether or not The Blue Moon Inn would be anything more than a Bates Motel clone. But once we pull in at the top of the 'road' I was rewarded with a bunch of cozy little cabins. There were only a couple of cars present. I was guessing it was the off season.

 

Richard pulled us in to a parking spot in front of the office and he sighed. I knew Richard was the out-doorsy type. He had tried to take me spelunking more than once. I had bowed out. It seems every time I wind up in a cave something dies. Most of the time its a bad guy or bad flesh eaty thing so why take chances?

 

I walked around and checked out the parking lot while Richard went in and got a key. It wasn't long before he came back out again and we re-parked the jeep in front of a cabin and started unpacking. It was a one room cabin with a little bathroom on one wall and a queen bed in the opposite corner. I found a closet and hung up the more wrinkled of my clothes and set the rest in a small bureau. Everything was done in dark wood.

 

Richard had taken a bathroom break and followed suit while I watched him from the bed. We were in luck the mattress seemed brand new. We'd have to take care of that later on tonight. I smiled slyly to myself.

 

Richard stopped and pivoted around. I heard, more than saw, him sniffing the air. Dammit.

 

"Did I ever tell you the whole smelling sex in the air thing ... it's still ewww."

 

He chuckled. It was deeper than normal. I knew his beast was peeking out. I guess the mattress gets broken in right away. Verne and his pack can wait.

 

 

Part Six

 

(Anita)

 

"There are a number of vampires in St. Louis that are not under my direct control, ma petite."

 

I'm sure he saw the astonishment on my face.

 

"This does not mean that they do not ultimately answer to me."

 

I thought about it for a second. "You are talking about Malcolm."

 

Malcolm was the leader of the Church of the Eternal Light and the second strongest vampire in St. Louis. He was the Vampire version of Billy Graham, a master vampire and quite powerful in his own right. From what I have seen Jean-Claude and he normally leave each other to their own devices.

 

"Oui."

 

"So Malcolm answers to you?"

 

"I am the Master of the City." He paused in his declaration. "I allow Malcolm to pursue his Church because it lessens the stigma about vampires."

 

Can't argue that fact. Thanks to legalization of vampirism and Malcolm's Church most humans think vampires are just people with fangs. They haven't seen what I have.

 

"So does this rule out all of our people?"

 

He nodded. "There are no unauthorized turnings under my rule."

 

Well wasn't that very monarchish.

 

"However Malcolm is allowed a certain quota per year without my direct supervision. So perhaps this rogue is under his direction."

 

I flipped open my cell phone and made an appointment with Malcolm later this evening.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

As if on queue a there was someone at the door, knocking away. I was still a bit out of breath from the mattress' inauguration. Richard pulled the comforter around his lower half and peeked out the door. I heard a few words whispered and saw his head nodding then he closed the door.

 

"We are being summoned."

 

I gave him a satisfied smile. Can't a girl bask for a few minutes.

 

He dropped the comforter and headed to the bathroom. "I'm not sure how big the water heaters are in this place..."

 

I was off the bed and halfway to the shower. "Dibs!"

 

He caught me before I could reach the door. "Oh no you don't you little vixen." Richard picked me up and slung me over his shoulder spanking me on my bare bottom. I kicked and squealed, but I wasn't really trying to get away.

 

"Brute!"

 

"You bet."

 

I stopped struggling and rested my head against my hand, trying to prop myself up in his back. "So do we have to be there right away?"

 

I felt him stiffen. "Wash my back?"

 

I looked at my nail marks running the length of his backside and did what came natural. He shuddered and moved through the door.

 

All showered and dressed, an hour later, we exited the cabin. I was still adjusting the straps on my tank.

 

I saw feet approach out of my peripheral vision.

 

"Buffy, this is Daniel, Verne's Sköll. Daniel, my Lupa, Buffy Summers."

 

I looked up and nearly yipped in surprise. "Oz?"

 

Oz or rather Daniel raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze to Richard.

 

I thought I'd try again. "Daniel Osborne? That's your name isn't it?"

 

I seem to have caught him on the defensive.

 

"Do I know you?"

 

I sighed in resignation. "I guess not."

 

Richard caught the hint.

 

"Is this Willow's Oz that you told me about?"

 

Daniel stepped up. "How do you know Willow?"

 

His hackles were up and his beast peeked out from his now amber eyes. Richard placed a hand on Daniel's chest. "Back up."

 

Daniel narrowed his eyes. Apparently this was a sore subject and there was a Willow in this world as well.

 

"She's my best friend." I answered.

 

Now he seemed shocked. "But ... I ... she's dead."

 

"Not in my world she's not."

 

He looked at me and then down to the ground. "I didn't think it was true."

 

Richard spoke up. "What?"

 

"Verne said you were from another earth, but ..."

 

I looked up at Richard.

 

"I told Verne about you. It would answer a lot of questions about what you would do down here and might fend off a challenge or two."

 

I smirked. "Oh yeah, you trolled for a Lupa down here. I almost forgot."

 

He rolled his eyes.

 

Daniel turned around and left us behind. "Verne's waiting."

 

 

(Anita)

 

"Is he done primping yet?"

 

Jason exited the bathroom with a glazed look on his eyes. I still hadn't gotten used to Jason playing late afternoon snack for Jean-Claude. However we were about to face a very powerful Master Vampire and Jean-Claude needed to be on his game. Once he managed to cross the room without falling down, Jason laid out across the silk sheets of the bed and promptly passed out.

 

I sighed and leaned back in the Victorian armchair.

 

 

(Buffy)

 

Full night was finally here, the night before the full moon, and the call of the Oak Tree Clan had been given. Richard's power flowed down his arm and into my palm as we ran across and empty field full of tall grass, over fallen trees and through their live brothers without a care in the world but to exist among our kind.

 

We stopped short of their Lupinar and Richard passed a small velvet box to me. I had almost forgotten the cardinal rule of visiting a neighboring clan. Always bring gifts.

 

The Lupinar wasn't nearly as big as Thronnos Rokke's, but it seemed much older. Old skeletons hung from the trees and surrounding branches. Creepy.

 

Richard began. "Greetings Ulfric of the Oak Tree Clan."

 

A older looking guy with long graying hair and a very firm young body approached. "And Greetings to you, Ulfric of the Thronnos Rokke Clan."

 

They shared a hug and a sniff. From what I could tell, four alphas were here tonight and all four greeted us with a hug and a sniff. Richard had told me about Roxanne. She was Verne's Lupa and in formal meetings such as this I was supposed to present her with the gift. The words came to me from memory when Richard briefed me on the plane ride out here.

 

"Lupa of the Oak Tree Clan, accept this token in the spirit in which it is given. Peace among both our clans."

 

Roxanne was a little bit shorter than I was, but built entirely different. Se was all muscle, breasts and attitude; from her blue tinted bangs to her aggressive cut midriff. She had a lot to show off and did it without embarrassment.

 

"Peace among both our clans, Lupa of the Thronnos Rokke."

 

She opened up the velvet box and grinned then showed it to Verne. Verne's eyes lit up in and sex spilled off him in waves. What the heck was in the box? Roxanne's eyebrows waggled at her Ulfric and I saw her hand sneak behind and grasp his butt. She snapped the box closed and Verne seemed to go all business-like.

 

"Now that formalities are out of the way --- Richard, howya been?"

 

They both grasped hands and smiled. "Good, Verne. Buffy's down at Dyersburg on police business; thought we might take advantage of your hospitality."

 

He nodded. "We'd heard that you hitched up with another vampire executioner. Guess it was true." He looked me up and down. "I must say they seem to be making them smaller these days."

 

I couldn't let that one go. "Good things come in small packages, Verne."

 

I saw his eyes glance over to Roxanne and the little box she was holding. "Ain't that the truth."

 

"Y'all be with us through the full moon?"

 

Richard nodded. "Probably, depends on what you can tell us about a vampire named Anyanka."

 

Verne's eyebrows shrugged. "I heard she up and got herself a execution order."

 

I nodded. "That's why I'm here."

 

Verne swaggered over and sat down on a lawn chair that suddenly appeared; actually enough chairs for all of us.

 

"When Colin died it left a vacancy for the Master of the City."

 

"Colin?" I asked.

 

Richard answered. "Colin went up against Anita. He sent his strongest vampire and his human servant to kill her. They lost and Colin couldn't survive the shock to his system. He died."

 

"Ces't la vie." I commented. One less vamp in the world didn't mean much to me."

 

Verne continued. "Anyanka moved in and took over. They didn't have much room to move around and we kept them under control for the most part." He leaned back into Roxanne's hands. She kneaded his shoulders. "Actually she was trying to go mainstream. Colin had most of the authorities keeping away from his grounds, but Anyanka had seen the success of the Master of St. Louis, and she wanted the same."

 

"Sooo?"

 

"So we were going to start up a nightclub out here about five miles down the road. She was supposed to take care of the permits and such being that it was her that wanted to expose herself. She went down and met with the town councils of Myerton and Dyersburg trying to let them think she was Martha Stewart or something."

 

This brought a few chuckles from the remaining alphas.

 

"The one thing that she didn't count on was the fundamentalist that held the council chair of Dyersburg."

 

Something came to mind. "Where do they hold the council meetings in Dyersburg."

 

Verne looked puzzled and glanced over his shoulder. "Daniel?"

 

Oz --- Daniel, I mean, stepped forward. "At the Chair's house."

 

"Mara Jenkins was the Chair, wasn't she?"

 

Daniel nodded. "How did you know?"

 

 

Note: Oh, don't worry. I won't leave you hanging long about Oz's presence and Willow's death in this world.

 

 

Part 7

 

(Anita)

 

The trip to Malcolm's turned up no new leads. There haven't been any new vamps 'brought over' at the church for almost six months. Malcolm informed us that the vamp wannabes have to pass a security, credit, and personal reference check before being turned. They have to be model citizens. He didn't want to take the chance of any bad press hitting the airwaves. Wasn't Jeffery Dahmer a model citizen ... before he ate those people, I mean.

 

I was just starting to relax in the limo with Jean-Claude when my beeper went off. I checked the number --- Micah. He normally didn't beep me with frivolous stuff so I dug the cell out of the depths of my purse. He answered on the first ring.

 

"Anita?"

 

I heard the tension in his voice. "Micah, what's wrong?"

 

"Cheri and Zane are missing."

 

"What do you mean missing?"

 

I really didn't need this right now.

 

"They were supposed to meet us an hour ago. Zane isn't answering his cell."

 

It was kinda weird for Micah to be panicking for someone being an hour late. "Isn't it a little early to be calling out the search party. Maybe they had a flat or something."

 

His voice evened out. "Tomorrow night is the full moon, Anita."

 

Shit, I had forgotten. For safety's sake Micah deemed it necessary for the pard to spend the days surrounding the full moon, together. The lesser of any lycanthrope can lose control and shift as the moon draws nearer. This way an alpha can be there to make sure that the less dominant won't eat anyone. Even the weakest of the pard can lift a small car.

 

"I'll be there in twenty minutes."

 

Jean-Claude set his hand on top of my knee. "I've instructed Jeremy to take us home."

 

 

(Buffy)

 

"Mara Jenkins was the Chair, wasn't she?"

 

Daniel nodded. "How did you know?"

 

I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. "It gives Anya even more reason to want her dead." I drew in a single breath and let it out slowly. "In my world Anya was a little money hungry."

 

Verne laughed. "A little? You can see the dollar signs flashing behind her eyes whenever we talked about the club."

 

I shrugged. "Do you know where she is, or where she hangs out during the day?"

 

"Nope."

 

His eyes lifted, behind me. That's when I smelled it. Vampire. I spun around and went to a crouch. I knew it was out there and in what general direction, but there were too many shadows and we were downwind. It could be a hundred yards away and we'd still get the scent, so we waited.

 

After a long minute or two we heard a voice. "It's me Verne."

 

I looked back. "It's her."

 

My hand went behind my back and reemerged with a stake. I took a defensive stance and waited for Anya to show herself. She didn't make me hold the pose for very long and stepped out from behind a really thick tree. I didn't have any idea if it was a oak or a maple or whatever. Me and trees didn't get along very well. I tended to cut them up into stakes.

 

It was Anya alright. Her hair was a lot lighter than I remembered, but her attitude and mannerisms were the same; not to mention she was getting upset with an arrant branch that had snagged her..

 

"Damn, wildlife. This blouse cost me a pretty penny, let me tell you. And why isn't it a pretty dollar, or a pretty forty dollars." Then she looked up disgusted. "Oh, hi, Buffy."

 

Nothing like seeing her like this to disarm me. "Uh, hi?"

 

Now she was confused. "What are you doing in Corthath? Aren't you supposed to be enjoying the free life now. I mean with hundreds of Slayers around you'd think you would want to stick around your own dimension or somethi ..."

 

Something wasn't quite right. "Anya?"

 

She rolled her eyes. "Duh, yeeaah. Who'd you think I was?"

 

I looked back at Richard and shrugged then back to Anya. "Okay, if you're you then tell me something that only Anya would know."

 

She looked up like she was thinking. Then back down with something. "After Xander dumped me at the alter Spike and I got really drunk at the Magic Box and had sex on the round table."

 

Okay, saying I was stunned wasn't really enough. "Eeeww." I shook my head to get the image out of my mind. "Something a little earlier please, before the fight with Glory." I shuddered.

 

"You, and your little Scooby-friends trapped me in your dimension when my power source was destroyed and I couldn't be a vengeance demon anymore."

 

My eyes fluttered in confusion. "And now you're a vampire?"

 

Something seemed to click in her head. "You're not the Buffy I left behind."

 

It wasn't a question.

 

I shook my head. "I got sent here when I jumped into Glory's portal."

 

She threw up her hands. "That's why you were so weird after we raised you from the dead."

 

I'd already gone through this with Willow. I knew that another me was brought back from the dead to take my place in my world.

 

I asked my question one more time. "You're a vampire, hello?"

 

She shook her head to clear her thought, I guessed. "I was killed by an uber-vamp."

 

I put up my stake. "Of course you were."

 

I turned around and found my seat. I looked at Richard, Verne and the rest of the others. "It's my Anya. She's safe."

 

"Hey!" Anya seemed insulted. "I'll have you know I'm a very scary vampire."

 

Richard didn't seem to understand, but he took my word for Anya's threat level.

 

"I mean you aren't gonna try and kill us ... right."

 

"Oh," she took in the number of alpha wolves and knew she would be torn apart if she tried anything. "Uh, yeah right." She quickly over and pulled a lawn chair close to me. "Just a harmless ex-vengeance demon, ex-normal human, and a very not scary vampire. Yeah."

 

I think I'm getting a headache. "What are you doing here, Anya?"

 

She stopped smiling and trying to look innocent long enough to answer. "I was killed by an uber-vamp."

 

"You said that already. If you were human then how did you survi ... oh."

 

She smiled and waggled her eyebrows. “The vamp turned me and D'Hoffryn popped in long enough to grab me and take me here."

 

"Who's D'Hoffryn?" Richard asked.

 

I think she noticed Richard's hand on my leg, holding me possessively. She sized him up. "New orgasm buddy?"

 

Richard blinked and if I didn't know him any better I'd swear he was blushing. "Richard is my Ulfric."

 

Now it was time for Anya to blink. Then she leaned in and sniffed me. "When did you become a werewolf?"

 

"Couple a months ago. Got scratched."

 

I turned to Richard and tried to ease his mind. "Anya is very outspoken. It takes getting used to. D'Hoffryn was her boss when she was a demon."

 

I looked past Richard to Verne, Roxanne and Daniel. They seemed entranced listening to our story. I have no idea why.

 

Anya took over. "I became a demon again for a few weeks after Xander left me. Then you tried to kill me and I quit. D'hoffryn wasn't very happy, let me tell you. He tried to have me killed which doesn't make any sense because he was the one who saved me after I got bit. Look I have a really nasty scar."

 

Before I could stop her she had raised her blouse and flashed everyone. I was going to cover Richard's eyes, but I was frozen in place by the scar Anya had from her right shoulder to almost her hip in a diagonal line. It looked like she was almost cut in half.

 

"Oh my god. You lived?"

 

She pulled her shirt back down. "Uh, no. I died remember --- vampire now."

 

She shifted into vamp mode, except it wasn't like anything I have ever seen. Her skin had gone grey, her head expanded, and her body thinned. Long claws extended well past her normal nail length. The only thing it reminded me of was the vampire from Nosferatu.

 

She shifted back just as fast. Apparently Verne and clan had seen the show, because Richard and I were the only ones freaked out.

 

I tried to swallow and it went down rather hard. "I take it that's an uber-vamp ."

 

She nodded.

 

"Did you kill Mara Jenkins?" It was my turn to surprise her.

 

She seemed insulted. "No! Why would you say such a thing." Then a realization hit her. "You're an executioner."

 

I nodded. "I still prefer Slayer."

 

She looked from side to side; very nervous like. "Fine, go ahead and kill me." She started mumbling to herself. "One thousand and twenty-three years down the drain."

 

"She's telling the truth, Buffy."

 

I nodded. "I know, Richard, but I doubt that a judge will take the warrant away because we told him she smelled like she was telling the truth."

 

"Anyanka, do you know who did kill, Mara Jenkins?" Verne asked.

 

Anya gave a defeated stare and shrugged her shoulders.

 

"You have to get out of here tonight, Anya. If I'm down here I have to hunt you and stake you."

 

"That's why I came here tonight; to ask Verne if I could hang around for a while. So, where am I supposed to go now?"

 

I knew of a nice little hang out in St. Louis where she would be safe enough. Problem was that I didn't have my cell phone with me. It was back at the jeep.

 

"Come on. Richard, keys. I'll be right back."

 

He tossed them to me.

 

"Daniel, go with them." Verne commanded.

 

I looked back. "We'll be okay. Just going to get my cell phone."

 

"And Daniel will watch your back. I would be a lax host if something tried to eat you while you were in my territory."

 

My eyes flicked to Richard and he nodded. That was good enough for me. "Okay."

 

 

Part Eight

 

(Buffy)

 

Daniel led our way back to the Jeep. Anya and I were side by side for most of the trip.

 

"You said something earlier about hundreds of Slayers?"

 

"Oh, that's right. If you've been here for two years then you don't know about the First Evil returning."

 

It clicked. The thing that was imitating Willow a couple of months back when she visited. It was the First Evil that manifested itself to Willow and caused her to freak out like she did.

 

"Well," she paused, "the other Buffy got the idea to use this nifty axe/scythe type thing's power to activate all the potential Slayers throughout the world. So there could be tens, or hundreds of Slayers running around now."

 

"Wow."

 

"I was killed soon after Willow did the magical thing and I don't exactly know how it all turned out."

 

Talk about cliffhanging. Now I was even more anxious to find out if everything worked out.

 

I noticed Daniel stiffen when Anya mentioned Willow's name. There's more to his story that I'd like to know.

 

"Daniel?"

 

He looked back, not looking very friendly like. Anya waved him off.

 

"Don't worry about him. He's kind of a tight ass in this universe."

 

I needed to know. "Why?"

 

She didn't bother trying to lower her voice. With the werewolf hearing thing it would have been pointless. "Willow cursed him."

 

I stopped and starred. "She did what?"

 

"If I still had my vengeance powers she would have done more than that."

 

I urged her on. "Spill."

 

"They were both dating in college over in L.A. and he had an affair with this other werewolf. She went all vengeancey and cursed them both to never know love again. Except, Veruca, I think her name was, got a little revenge on her own. She ate Willow."

 

"Enough!" Yelled Daniel. "My personal life is no concern of yours."

 

His eyes glowed amber with anger. I let my sorrow wash over me.

 

"I'm sorry. Willow is my friend."

 

I could hear the rumbling growl deep in his chest. He turned and slammed his fist into a really thick tree, sending splinters everywhere.

 

"I was too late to save her," he spat. "All Veruca wanted was revenge. All I wanted to say was I'm sorry."

 

Anya snorted, "I bet you're sorry now. Cursed forever to never love another person..."

 

She didn't get to finish the sentence. Daniel was all over her, claws extended and slashing into her midsection. Anya screamed and transformed into that big-headed uber-vampire thing and I jumped on Daniel's back wrapping my arm around his throat.

 

Anya didn't have the leverage to push us both off, so I planted my foot onto the ground and heaved with everything I had. It was enough, barely. He came away with a mouth full of flesh from Anya's chest and blood sprayed.

 

The blood and anger was almost too much for me and I partially shifted, enough for my claws to find their way into Daniel's throat.

 

"Calm the hell down or I'll rip it out!"

 

My beast was fighting to get out of my body and complete the transformation so I tried something I didn't know would work. I let it flow out and into him. His beast responded and fought back with a fury.

 

We both screamed as we tore into one another, metaphysically. It was the first time I had been violent with the spiritual side of the animal. I had merged with Richard's beast a number of times and it had been glorious, but this was nothing but a dominance struggle and I had very little experience in fighting this way.

 

It was savage and spiritually bloody. Our claws tore at each other's bodies and our teeth fought to find purchase in metaphysical flesh. Hate and grief so powerful it hurt, poured off of him and into me.

 

Before I knew it several hands were pulling us apart. Screaming was the mainstay for the day.

 

"Buffy, let go!" "Daniel, release her!"

 

My vision cleared enough to see Verne pick up Daniel by the neck and repeatedly slam him into a nearby tree until he was unconscious. I tried to blink away my blurry vision until I realized it was blood in my eyes.

 

I tried to wipe it away. I heard Richard's shirt rip away and found it covering my forehead. I wasn't feeling too good.

 

"Buffy are you okay?"

 

***********************

 

It was full dark when I woke up. Every inch of my body hurt. I felt like I had been fighting Glory all over again. The scent of blood was strong in the air and ... Richard.

 

"Buffy?"

 

He was at my side dabbing at my forehead with a warm wet cloth.

 

"Richard I told you not to get the stitches wet." A female called out.

 

I felt him turn more than saw it.

 

"You need to take them out. She's healing too fast," he responded.

 

I heard a slow whistle.

 

"I've never seen this type of healing taken from another shapeshifter. She should have carried these stitches for another couple of days at least."

 

"I told you she’s not like the rest of us." Richard said.

 

I heard a number of snips and felt a slight tugging above my left eyebrow.

 

"Oww."

 

"Bring him in." Verne's voice came from the darkness.

 

Bloodsmell entered the room and I tried to sit up, but the sharp pain in the back of my head made that nearly impossible.

 

"Don't move, Buffy. You have a serious concussion. If you were human you'd probably be dead." Richard explained.

 

That's always nice to know.

 

"W-what happened?" I asked.

 

He leaned over and kissed me lightly. "Drink first and I'll explain. You need your strength."

 

"Do it." Verne commanded to somebody.

 

I heard a slight tearing and the bloodsmell hit me stronger than before. Seconds later something was pressed against my mouth and my instincts took it from there. The salty goodness trailed to the back of my mouth and my throat convulsed. I felt relief and energy course through my body. The pounding in my head eased down to a slight headache. That was when I noticed what I was sucking on had hair.

 

I reared back and my eyes snapped open. It was Daniel and he looked like someone had taken a hammer to his face.

 

"Oh my god!"

 

His blood sprayed out of my mouth and I nearly lost it right there. My stomach heaved.

 

"Buffy, no!" It was Richard. "You have to keep it down."

 

My eyes found his and I could tell by the shock on his face that my look wasn't pleasant.

 

Verne stepped in. "You must finish him, Buffy. It is pack law. It is his sentence for hurting you while under my protection."

 

I backed up on the bed, wiping the residue of Daniel's blood from my lips. "I don't eat people, Verne."

 

Over the last few months I had learned more than my share of pack law. "He's mine to do with what I will. And I say he lives."

 

Richard protested. "Buffy, he tried to kill you!"

 

I turned to him, "He's my friend, Richard. It doesn't matter that he's from a different universe than I am. He's still my friend and I don't eat my friends."

 

He pushed away in frustration. "Women!"

 

I looked back up at Verne. "Help him. Your pack owes me blood and I will take him in payment." Then I thought about it. "Alive. Make sure he's alive."


End file.
